


Tweet Of Fate

by WrestlersOwnMyHeart



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Damsels in Distress, Danger, Drama, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Love, Making Love, Romance, Sex, Smut, Stalker, Suspense, WWE - Freeform, Wrestling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-29 20:23:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 101,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17814917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrestlersOwnMyHeart/pseuds/WrestlersOwnMyHeart
Summary: Little did Sharlotte Taylor know that her first little tweet to WWE wrestler, John Cena, would change her life forever. Hearing about his nasty breakup with his fiancée, and seeing so many hateful tweets to him regarding his failed relationship, she wants to send him something encouraging, so she sends him an uplifting bible scripture. Finding the tweet refreshing, it sparks Cena's interest and leads to a flirty, but close online friendship between the two.This, in turn, begins a chain reaction of events that neither of them could have foreseen.A lunatic wrestler from the past is returning after years of lying dormant. And he doesn't want to climb the proverbial WWE foodchain—he wants to devour the head of it. And he has his eye on Sharlotte for dessert...Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note(s): Just a heads up that this story takes place back in 2012 around the time Cena and Lesnar had their rivalry. I have been working on this story off and on since that time. Oh, and just to make this easier and less complicated for me to work out some of the details (sometimes I am lazy, lol), the draft is nonexistent so the wrestlers will show up on both shows like they sometimes did in the past.

 

** _Chapter 1_ **

 

** __ **

 

 Sharlotte Taylor stepped into the country-style house she shared with her older sister and nephew. Sighing with relief at coming in from the Florida humidity, she hung her purse on a coat hook in the hallway, then walked through the large living room and entered the kitchen. She found Noah Taylor, her nine-year-old nephew sitting at the large kitchen table, working on his homework.

"Hey, kiddo," she greeted him, ruffling his chestnut brown hair. "How was your day?"

"Okay," the young boy answered. "I just wasn't ready to go back after the Easter holiday."

"Oh, I know," Sharlotte agreed, sitting at the table beside him. "The library was chaotic today. So many people forgot to bring their books in before the holiday and so the computer kept prompting me to collect the late fees even though my boss said to let them slide due to the holiday. It made my day crazy." She stretched her arms above her head. "So, I was thinking…What would you rather have for supper? We can order pizza, or I can make my special fish sticks."

Noah thought for a moment. "You're tired. We could just order pizza, if you want."

"Oh, God bless you, child," Sharlotte smiled, reaching over and kissing the top of Noah's head. "Thank goodness you're such a mature and thoughtful kid."

The young boy smiled, revealing his missing front tooth, "Do you think we could have the fish sticks _tomorrow_ night though?"

She laughed, "Sure thing. I promise."

"Can we have sweet potato fries too?"

"Noah, would I dare offer you my fish sticks without sweet potato fries," she joked.

"And tartar sauce?"

"And tartar sauce. Now, why don't you take your homework up to your room and I'll call you down when the pizza gets here."

"Okay," Noah said, grabbing up his school materials. "Remember, me and mom like pepperoni and extra cheese." With that, the boy exited the room, and Sharlotte grabbed the cordless phone out of its cradle. Dialing the privately owned Italian restaurant a few blocks away, she quickly ordered a medium pizza with pepperoni and extra cheese, as well as a personal-sized one with mushrooms, tomatoes and arugula.

She was generally a healthier eater than her sister and nephew, so when she splurged she would still find tasty, yet healthier options. She had grown up with healthy eating being drummed into her due to her dreams of becoming a figure skater. The dreams began when her parents discovered how easily their little girl took to the ice at only three years old. From there, they'd pushed her into the profession, in hopes of becoming rich to fulfill their fantasies of luxurious possessions and endless money to support their excessive drinking habits.

For years Sharlotte trained but never felt pressured to do so, though only because she enjoyed the training. If she had balked at the long practices, she would have found out quickly that she had no choice in the matter.

She entered every contest she could and won many of them. Her bedroom walls were lined with shelves which held numerous trophies, plaques, and medals. Finally, in 1998, she was fifteen and more than ready for the Winter Olympics. She came in second in the United States Championship, only a couple of points behind Tara Lipinski.

She went on to the Olympics in Japan but unfortunately for Sharlotte, during a practice for her long program, the shoelace on one of her skates snapped free in the middle of a triple lutz, triple toe loop combination. The ending result was a terrifying fall to the ice which left her with a severely broken ankle, and a concussion that kept her unconscious for a couple of days. When she awoke she received more horrible news than she could bear.

She would never skate competitively again. Nor would she ever perform the leaps and jumps she so loved to do. She was then informed by some officers that her parents had cleaned out the large chunk of savings she'd accumulated and fled with the money. Sharlotte had always suspected her parents loved her talent rather than her, but it hurt worse to discover they'd totally abandoned her. She hardly had time to wonder what would happen to her, when the cops then explained that her parents were killed in a plane crash; an ironic twist of fate. Despite her parents' coldness, she grieved over their deaths. And she grieved over the loss of her dreams; a career cut way too short.

Her twenty-year-old sister, Julie, arrived at the hospital a couple hours after she was notified of her sister's accident. This unfortunately didn't occur till after Sharlotte awoke, since the parents had put themselves down as their daughter's emergency contacts. Now, being deceased, the next of kin fell to Julie. But her name did not appear on any of the emergency information in Sharlotte's records. So they had to rely on the young girl to tell them who to contact.

"Oh, my God, Sharlotte," Julie had cried, seeing her baby sister in such horrible condition. Her leg was casted, she had a bloody bandage on her head, and her face was puffy from all the tears she had shed. "Baby, I'm so sorry I didn't get here till now. They told me Mom and Dad hadn't listed me as an emergency contact," she said bitterly. "Not that I'm surprised. I-"

"Mom and D-dad…they're dead…" Sharlotte cut in, breaking down into sobs all over again.

"What," Julie demanded.

"They died. They found out I'd never skate competitively again. They took my savings and ran with the money. Their plane crashed."

Julie couldn't bring herself to feel grief. She'd been on her own for four years, living in her own house, while their parents doted on her younger sister.

 _They only cared about Sharlotte_ , she reasoned with herself. _Or rather, they loved what money she could make for them_. "Good," she finally said in a low voice. "They deserved it." She was still unable to forgive them for keeping Sharlotte from visiting her, or from her visiting Sharlotte. She had been disowned for trying to live her own life.

Sharlotte realized Julie hated their parents, and in a way, she could understand the older girl's anger. But she still hated for anyone to die. She wouldn't have wished such a terrifying death on her worst enemy. "Julie, please," she cried. "I know you hate them. And you have every right. But still… They were all I knew."

Julie instantly felt badly, and gently pulled her sister into a hug, stroking her long blond locks. "I'm sorry, sweet girl," she whispered. "I know this is so scary for you."

"What will happen to me, Julie?"

Julie pulled back and looked her in the eye. "You're going to live with me. Finish high school. Go to college. And have a career like everyone else."

"But my skating…"

"I know," Julie whispered, pulling Sharlotte into another hug. "I know this will be so difficult for you. But you're a strong girl, and you'll get through it. I'll be there to help you in any way I can."

"I love you, Julie," Sharlotte sobbed softly, hugging her sister tight.

"I love you too, sweet sister. And I've missed you so, so much."

There was a knock at the front door then, jarring Sharlotte back to the present. She shifted her gray eyes to the clock on the wall and realized she had reminisced for the past half hour. _Lord what a nightmare_ , she thought back on her younger days as she headed for the front door.

Minutes later, the pizzas were on the kitchen table, and she tiredly headed upstairs to change out of her dressy work clothes, and to tell Noah that dinner had arrived.

"Noah," she knocked on the boy's door and opened it quietly so as not to disturb Julie's while she slept just across the hall. "Noah? Supper is here."

"Okay, I'll be down in a minute," he said, closing his math book.

"Would you mind putting down some plates and glasses? I'll get us something to drink when I get back down stairs."

"Sure, Aunt Sharlotte," he said.

"Thanks, kiddo."

She turned and went into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Opening one of her dresser drawers, she pulled out a pair of cut-off jean shorts and a pastel green tank top. She changed into them quickly and then pinned her hair up in a messy top knot. Then she headed back downstairs feeling much more relaxed.

She entered the kitchen and was surprised to discover Noah had not only set the table with plates, and glasses, but he'd also poured himself some milk, and some water for her.

"Thanks, Noah," she smiled as she washed her hands, and then sat down at the table to serve their plates.

"Remember, to leave enough for your mom," Sharlotte warned. "I imagine she'll be hungry before she leaves for work."

Noah nodded, and after Sharlotte asked a blessing over their meal, he took a small bite of his pizza, seemingly deep in thought. "Aunt Sharlotte," he finally spoke. "Why does Mom always have to work overnight?"

She swallowed her own bite of pizza and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Well, Noah, that's just part of her job. Nurses don't have the easiest time in the world. Their work is hard, and not always fair. They work in shifts, and they don't always get to pick the shifts they're hired for. Your mom works very hard to make sure you have everything you need. Try not to mention this to her, okay? It might make her feel guilty. If you need to talk, why don't you come to me? I'm a good listener."

Noah nodded. "Okay. I don't mean to complain. I just miss her. It feels like I never see her."

"I know. I feel the same way sometimes. But Julie's just doing what she knows she has to do." Sharlotte paused a moment, as if something just occurred to her. "It's not too much longer till summer break. I'll have a talk with your mom and see about letting you stay up later so you can see her for a little while at night before she leaves for work. How's that sound?"

Noah's brown eyes lit up, "Thanks, Aunt Sharlotte." He stood and gave her a hug. "You think she'll let me?"

She kissed his cheek, "I'm going to try my hardest to get her to, kiddo. Love you."

"Love you too."

"Okay, now get back to eating your supper," she chuckled. "It's going to get cold. Plus, RAW comes on in a little while. We've got a date, right? "

"Woo, woo, woo…You know it!"

Sharlotte busted out laughing and joined in when Noah began fist pumping.

A moment later, the two settled back to eating their dinner, and talking about how good RAW was going to be that night.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Thirty-five-year-old Julie Taylor sleepily went down the stairs and headed into the kitchen to eat her late supper before getting dressed and heading to the hospital for her overnight shift.

She found Sharlotte sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on a can of regular Coca Cola while flipping through a magazine. "Hey, sis," Julie greeted. "Rough day at work?" She knew due to their alcoholic parents that Sharlotte didn't drink alcohol. She normally drank water, but reserved herself one can of a regular soda each week as a "comfort" food instead of resorting to alcohol.

Sharlotte tipped her can of soda up in salute, "You guessed correctly. This was a day I could have done without. Thank goodness for cold Cokes and wrestling on Monday nights. Oh, your supper is in the oven. Pepperoni pizza. I had it heating up for you."

"Thanks," Julie said, heading to the stove. "Pizza sounds wonderful." She pulled the pizza box out of the oven and sat it on the table. Grabbing a plate and glass she sat down and poured a glass of water. "So did you and Noah enjoy wrestling tonight," she asked stiffly. She was by no means a wrestling fan.

"Yes, as always," Sharlotte smiled. "Although he did crash about thirty minutes before it was over. I had to take him upstairs to bed. Anyway, since Sunday is Wrestlemania, I figured I'd order the pay-per-view and surprise Noah with it. He never gets to see the pay-per-views except for on his computer."

Julie nodded and silently prayed over her meal, then bit into a slice of her pizza. "He'll love that, I'm sure," she said finally.

Sharlotte's face took on a serious expression, "I kind of need to talk to you about Noah, Jules."

Julie swallowed another bite of her pizza, "Okay. Is everything alright," she asked, concern crossing her features.

"Well, he's missing you," Sharlotte replied bluntly. "He feels like he never sees you. He loves you very much, and he's feeling abandoned I think."

The older sister sighed and set her slice of pizza back on her plate. "I know. I feel the same way. I'd been hoping _he_ wasn't. He's already gone off to school by the time I get home, and I'm in bed by the time _he_ gets home, and then _he's_ in bed when I get up to leave for work. I'm rarely off on weekends, and when I am, he's usually got plans with friends." She sighed again. "I swear…if I had known what kind of hectic life nursing would be, I'd have chosen a different profession."

"I'm sorry, Julie," Sharlotte said, reaching over and taking her sister's hand. "I didn't mean to make you feel badly."

"No it's fine," Julie said. "You're right to tell me about it. It's not good for Noah to not be around me much."

"Well, how about when summer gets here and he's out of school letting him stay up till you leave for work? He could at least have a couple hours with you each night."

"That's true," Julie thought out loud, brushing her brown hair over her shoulder. "And a good idea," she nodded. "Yeah, I'll let him know as soon as I can. Hopefully, this weekend, if he doesn't have any plans."

"I can tell him if you aren't able to."

Julie nodded, "Yes, but I hope _I_ can. You telling him probably wouldn't inspire much faith in me."

"Well, I'll leave it up to you then, and if you decide you need me to do it, just let me know." Sharlotte smiled softly, and finished off her beer. "Well, I think I'm going to bed early tonight. I need some sleep. Goodnight, Jules."

"Goodnight. Love you."

"Love you too."

Sharlotte headed upstairs to her room then, while Julie finished eating. Shutting her bedroom door behind her, she approached her desk and booted up her computer, then entered her bathroom to brush her teeth. Minutes later she stripped out of her clothes and pulled on her pale peach-colored silk robe, and relished in the feel of the light material against her skin. After she folded the covers back on her large bed, she sat down at her computer and checked her email, as well as her Facebook and Twitter.

Laughing at a few pictures her online friends had posted on Facebook, she clicked the "Like" button below them. Then she posted a quick status update about her busy day and moved on to Twitter. Scanning down through her timeline, which consisted of quite a few friends and many wrestlers, she saw a couple of tweeted photos Stone Cold Steve Austin had posted showing some rattle snakes he'd found and killed on his ranch. She shuddered, quickly closing off the photos and moved on. She read several of her friends' posts about how their day went at college or work, and she saw a picture one friend posted from their trip to Universal Studios.

Chuckling, she clicked on the "Reply" link and typed into the text-box, " _Ride the JAWS ride once for me_! #Jealous" and clicked the "Tweet" button. She eyed the Universal Studios photo a moment longer and sighed wistfully. It had been ages since she and Julie and Noah had gotten to do anything even as small as driving into Orlando and going to an amusement park. Instead they were stuck each day doing the same thing, over and over.

It wasn't as if she loathed where they lived. She loved the large country home with its huge, old-fashioned doors and the beautiful bay window in her bedroom. She just wasn't happy with her life in general. The only time she felt remotely happy was when she came home to her sister and nephew, and she could shut the door on the outside world. She knew she must be going through a depression to accept the way her life was, without the slightest fight.

"What's happened to me," she asked herself. "I never used to be this way. I was…I was _tough_. I _never_ gave up on what I wanted."

Growing sleepy, Sharlotte scanned over a few more posts on her timeline and spotted a tweet from WWE wrestler, John Cena, which caught her attention.

" _Hope you all had a great Easter holiday. Be sure & tune in this Sunday to see me beat the Rock. Unless he decides to bring it _# _ViaSatellite #KungPaoChicken_ "

Sharlotte chuckled at the Kung Pao chicken remark that had backfired on the Rock. "Leave it to Cena to take an intended insult and turn it into a compliment." She was tempted to reply to him and wish him good luck on his match, but she didn't figure he would see the tweet anyway. _And even if he did_ , she thought, _he probably wouldn't answer_. _He probably has already gotten a ton of tweets wishing him luck_. _He probably gets millions of tweets each day, period_.

Sharlotte's addiction to wrestling spanned over the past decade. She couldn't put her finger on what got her hooked on it. She had gone through a depression after her career-ending injury and had wanted nothing to do with any sports or athletics for a long time. But one day—years later—she came across a WWE match between Triple H and Randy Orton on television and began watching regularly from then on. She admired the athleticism, the grace and strength of the wrestlers. She could only imagine the adrenaline flow they must get. She envied the athletes and sometimes watching them doing what they obviously loved, hurt her, but not enough to make her stop watching the programming.

Noah had even started watching wrestling with her since he was a tiny boy, inhaling everything to do with the WWE. One day he came home from school and informed Sharlotte of how his friends were talking about a smaller wrestling company known as TNA. He found out the time and channel it came on and asked her if they could check it out. They were then hooked on the newer company as well.

Noah swore he was going to become a professional wrestler when he was old enough. She felt badly for the boy. He wanted it so badly, and his mother was not thrilled with the idea. Sharlotte wanted to support him in it, but she was afraid of him being hurt by an injury like she had endured, as well as being devastated by the loss of a dream. Both trials were painful ones and she did not want to see her nephew go through that. But instead of coming out and discouraging him, she opted to not say much on the subject. _Chances are he'll mature and decide on a different career anyway_ , she reasoned as she shut down her computer. Then she shrugged out of her robed and climbed between the soothing covers of her bed.

She was asleep in only minutes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18+ years of age ONLY. Chapters containing these scenes will be marked NSFW.
> 
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Violence

 

_**Chapter 2** _

 

 

John Cena stalked from his dressing room and charged down the hallway to the men's locker room. He threw the door open and rushed inside. At finding Sheamus, Chris Jericho, and C.M. Punk in the large room, he growled in frustration.

 

"Where is Cesaro," he demanded.

"Did ya check his dressin' room," Sheamus asked, confusion crossing his features. The large Irishman had never seen such anger on John Cena's face before. He would have understood Cena being angry at _Dwayne_ after his "rock" concert, but he could not figure out why he was angry at the Swiss Superman.

"I just came from his dressing room," John replied.

"Well, he just left here and said he was heading to his dressing room to pack up his stuff," Chris informed him gently. "Try checking again. He's probably there by now. He may have just stopped by catering to grab something."

"Thanks," John said absentmindedly and turned on his heel, exiting the locker room. He headed back the way he came, determined to have a few words with Cesaro. A few seconds later, he was back in front of his friend's dressing room door and knocked loudly.

"Yeah, come in," came the answer.

John shoved the door open and stared the Swissman down.

"Whoa…" Cesaro started, and dropped the shirt he was folding. "What did I do?"

"You _know_ what you did," John said distinctly. He stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. "How did Dwayne know I was having problems with Jasmine?"

"How am I supposed to know," Cesaro asked, his brown eyes flashing angrily. "I don't think I like where you're headed with this, John."

"I don't think I like it either," John growled. "One of my close friends stabbed me in the back. I confided in you about what's been going on with us—only because you wouldn't let up about what's been bothering me lately—and then you go and tell THE one person I wanted to keep it from." John paced the floor angrily. "Do you realize how relentless he's going to be now? He can say whatever he wants about me, but he better back off my family and my personal affairs. That is NOT going to be used in some childish promo. I respect _his_ personal life, so he's going to learn the hard way to stay out of my business." His eyes glimmered as he continued to stare Cesaro down, and he balled up his fists. "Just as soon as _you_ learn to not cross me like that."

"Whoa, John…" Cesaro said, backing up. He did not wish to fight— _really_ fight—his friend over a complete misunderstanding. "I did _not_ tell Dwayne about Jasmine. I didn't. I promise you. I don't even like the guy, so why would I do that," he continued, hoping his friend would see the truth. "Especially, when I've never _once_ back-stabbed you before. Why would I start now? It's not like I'm trying to step on you for a shot at advancing my career. I already have a great career, like you. What would I gain from doing that? Think about it, brother."

John paused and loosened his fists. His expression softened. It seemed that Cesaro's words hit home.

"You're right. And I've known you too long…you wouldn't do that." He puffed out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, man."

The Swissman nodded. "I get why you were suspicious, since I was the only one you talked to about Jasmine. But just think about how I do everything I can to keep my own wife and daughter out of the business. And I respect anyone who wants to do the same by their family. It isn't anyone's place to bring a co-worker's personal life out to the ring."

"No, it's not," John agreed. "I just don't know how he found out."

"Easy," a familiar voice scoffed from behind John. "I heard you two gabbing about it like a couple of high school girls."

In a flash, John had spun around, grabbed Dwayne Johnson by the throat and proceeded to propel them both out into the hallway. He slammed Dwayne into the wall and got right in his face. "I don't care how you found out. You are NOT to take it out to the ring." John was vaguely aware of Cesaro at his side trying to pull him away from Dwayne, but he instead ignored him and went on with his point. "And _definitely_ keep my mother out of this. How low will you stoop, Dwayne? I don't care that you did it as a joke. My mother's done nothing to you, so you leave her alone. I have not, and _will_ _not_ disrespect your family that way. And you aren't going to disrespect mine. I won't have it." He tightened his grip on Dwayne's throat when he heard numerous footsteps headed their way. "And if you do it again, so help me…it will take _more_ than all the wrestlers, referees and security guards in this company to tear me off you. Got it, Rock?" Several men suddenly grabbed him around the waist and shoulders, and tried tugging him away. John allowed them to, but only because he was mostly through talking. "I asked you a question."

Instead of answering, Dwayne just grinned his cocky smile and straitened his shirt. "You've got a lot of nerve, Cena," he chuckled. "Cheating on your fiancée and acting like you're just trying to protect her. When in fact, you're trying to protect yourself. And all the while, you're contemplating dumping her."

"I'm not trying to 'protect' anybody," John said, balling his fists at his sides. "What I want is my privacy left alone. And I did not cheat on my fiancée. Not that I have to justify that to you. _You_ on the other hand…where do you have the right to be so high and mighty?"

"What are you talking about, Cena," Dwayne rolled his dark eyes, but there seemed to be a flash of apprehension pass through them.

"I'm talking about the fact that people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

"You've lost me," Dwayne smirked. "You've taken one too many shots to the head."

"Oh, have I? What, you think no one saw you that night in '03?" John was obviously enjoying his turning of the tables.

"John, there was 365 nights in 2003. Which one are you referring to?"

John grinned and flashed his dimples.

"The one in which you went with Stacy into her hotel room."

A curse flew past Dwayne's lips, "That's a lie, and you know it, Cena."

"Is it? Don't make yourself look like a moron, Dwayne. Everyone knows about it. They all just kept quiet for the sake of your reputation. I think you owe everybody a huge 'thank you'. Otherwise your divorce could have happened a lot sooner."

"I did not sleep with her!"

"Save your breath. She told quite a few people. It's no secret." He shrugged then. "It doesn't make me any difference. Just don't accuse someone of doing something you're guilty of yourself. _Especially_ …when your accusation is false."

Dwayne simply glared at him, his jaw twitching angrily.

"Oh, and just so you know…I do realize you are scripted to win our match." John grinned again. "But that doesn't mean I have to make it easy for you. Unlike how you came out of nowhere and got handed a Mania match after being gone for the last several years…you're gonna _earn_ the win." He laughed then, "Don't misunderstand. It _may_ be a quick win…but it's sure gonna be painful. Get ready for some surprises. See ya there, Rock." With that, John saluted his Wrestlemania opponent and walked away, whistling happily.

"What the hell have you done," one of the referees asked Dwayne. "I'm scheduled to ref your match at Mania…and something tells me you've just made my job a lot harder."

"Yeah, and mine too," Dwayne muttered as he headed back to his dressing room. _One thing I can say about Cena,_ he thought, _is he always follows through_.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

"Hi, are you ready to check those out," Sharlotte asked, and smiled at a customer hovering near the circulation counter of the public library. The teenaged boy was apparently going to be the last customer of the day, and Sharlotte was eager to help him and send him on his way so she and her co-worker, Leena, could close up.

"Yeah, but, I'm new here, and I need to get a library card," the boy said. "Will I be able to check these books out today?"

"Sure," Sharlotte replied taking the books and setting them on the counter. Then she handed him a sheet of paper and a pen. "If you will fill this little form out, I can set you up with a temporary account and get your application to processing."

"Great, thanks," the boy smiled and began filling out the piece of paper that asked for his basic information.

At that moment, Leena walked in from the office. "TGIF, huh," she chuckled, grabbing some books off the return shelves, and preparing to put them in their correct place.

"You got that right," Sharlotte returned. "It's been a long and crazy week."

Minutes later, she had set up the new-comer's temporary account and checked his books out for him. Stamping the due date on the last book, she handed them over and smiled. "Hope you enjoy them. They'll be due back on April thirteenth."

"Thanks," the kid smiled and then turned around and exited the building.

"Yay," Leena exclaimed. "We're home free!"

Sharlotte laughed, "Come on, let's get the rest of these books put away. I want to go home!" The two women each grabbed a pile of books and began putting them back in their rightful places.

While she was relieved her work day was almost complete, but Sharlotte actually loved her job very much. She remembered the day she got the job at the library like it was yesterday.

She had graduated from high school and went to college, majoring in Library Science. She loved research as well as books, so she thought it was the perfect fit for her. Plus, she and Julie had a close family friend who managed the public library and who encouraged her to get a career in that area. So, as soon as she graduated from college a few years later, Emilia—the woman who'd encouraged her—offered her a job at the library immediately afterward.

"I finished my stack," Leena called out. "Do you need help with yours?"

"Nope," Sharlotte called back, sliding Pride and Prejudice back onto its shelf. "I'm done too."

"Then let's get outta here!"

"Sounds good to me," Sharlotte sighed, heading back to the front of the library.

"So what have you got planned for the weekend," Leena asked, as they headed across the parking lot to their cars.

"Not a whole lot," Sharlotte answered, piling her blond hair up into a clippie. "Are you going to watch WrestleMania on Sunday?"

"Oh, I want to, but I had a busted pipe at the house that I had to have repaired. It's totally set me back."

"Well, I saved up to order it this year. I thought it would surprise Noah. How about you come over, and bring Tyler? I'm sure the boys would love to hang out, and get to see WrestleMania too."

"Well that sounds great, but what about Julie? Won't we keep her awake?"

Sharlotte smiled, "That's the beauty of it. She is off Sunday, and won't go in to work till late the next night."

"Ah, well that's awesome. And yes, if we won't be a bother, I'd love to come and I know Tyler would too."

"Great! Just come over anytime. We can hang out and watch a movie or two before the pay-per-view comes on."

"Will do!"

The women climbed into their cars then, and headed to their homes to relax on the remainder of their Friday evening.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

"Hurry up, Aunt Sharlotte," Noah called from the living room. "The bell just rang!"

"On my way," Sharlotte called back.

A second later she was walking into the living room with a large tray of plates with chocolate cake. "Thanks so much for bringing the desert, Leena. It looks delicious."

"Well thanks for providing the dinner," Leena returned, "It was really, really good."

"Well, thanks! I worked very hard on it," Sharlotte joked, gesturing to the now empty Pizza Hut pizza boxes.

"Shhh," the two young boys in the floor shushed them, and turned their attention back on the match playing out on the television.

"Who's winning," Sharlotte asked, handing out plates of cake.

"No one, yet," Noah answered, his gaze glued to the television.

"I think Cena's gonna win," Leena's son, Tyler, declared. "I just have a feeling."

"I don't think so," Noah chimed in. "No way would the Rock come back for a WrestleMania match only to lose. Especially in his home town."

"So where'd Julie get off to," Leena asked quietly. "Are you sure we aren't disturbing her?"

Sharlotte shook her head, "No. She kind of hates wrestling. She's okay with Noah watching it, but she isn't a fan in the least."

"Yeah, it's kind of like Opera. You either love it or you hate it."

"SHHH!" The boys shushed them again and they all gasped as the Rock slammed Cena against the canvas and covered him for only a near fall.

"Thank goodness," Sharlotte said. "I can't figure out who's gonna win, but I sure wish Cena would." She got up then to refill her glass of iced tea, when Noah asked Sharlotte if he and Tyler could have a glass of milk to go with their cake.

"Sure thing, kiddos. Be right back." She ruffled the kids' hair and then entered the large kitchen and refilled her iced tea, as well as poured the boys' each a glass of milk. She noticed a few dishes that had been left out on the counter, and loaded them into the dishwasher. And that was when she heard from the living room:

"Whoa!"

"No way!"

"What's he doing?!"

She hurried into the living room just in time to see Cena slam a steel chair onto the head of the Rock.

"Oh, no."

_After so many times of him saying he will never go heel…he's finally done it_ , Sharlotte thought, not sure how to feel about her favorite wrestler being a "bad guy". Granted, the Rock was the one acting like a prepubescent teenager—in Sharlotte's opinion, anyway—but the Rock's number of fans was overwhelming. Attacking him with a chair—when a chair wasn't permitted automatically made Cena a heel.

The referee called for the bell and it was done. The WrestleMania match that many fans had waited a year for was officially over.

The match was through but John Cena—however—was not.

The four watched, unable to look away, as John Cena grabbed a microphone from the commentator's table.

"Don't worry Cenation," Cena said, as he made his way back into the ring where the Rock still lay gaining his senses. "I've not crossed over to the dark side. This is merely pay back for a little comment about my mom on Monday night." He started to toss the mic down, but then stopped and brought it back to his mouth, "And for anyone who says what I'm about to do 'isn't fair'…the match is over, and _he_ won it. So, I don't really care about 'fair' right now."

With that, he threw the mic down and grabbed up the chair he'd used earlier. Bringing it over his head, he slammed it against Dwayne's back. At the large Samoan's pained shout, John shouted, "Don't…" He brought the chair up again and he slammed it back down, "Mention…" and the chair flew up again. "My family…" The chair plummeted downward and cracked across Dwayne's back once more "Again…" He gave Dwayne one last hard hit with the chair and then threw it down.

Sharlotte, Leena and the boys all watched in a dead silence, unsure of what to think. They couldn't tear their eyes away from the television as John picked up the microphone again and glared down at Dwayne Johnson.

"I mean it, Rock. I never want to hear my family's names come out of your mouth again. Oh, and congrats on the win, pal."

He dropped the microphone again, and then started out of the ring as his entrance music started up. The crowd was all but silent as they watched Dwayne manage to rise to his knees.

"Listen at how quiet the audience is," Sharlotte commented.

"They know that was real," Leena said. She was still in shock at what she'd just seen.

"Y-yeah…" Sharlotte agreed. "That was definitely not scripted."

"I can't blame him," Noah spoke up. "If someone talked about Mom or you like that, I'd want to do the same thing."

"Yes, well I don't think you have to worry about that, Noah," Sharlotte chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. The anger on John Cena's face was unnerving and hard to forget.

"I wonder what will happen at RAW tomorrow night," Tyler spoke up.

"I don't know," Sharlotte said. "But I have a feeling Cena may be getting a tongue-lashing from Vince right about now."

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte was right.

The minute John stepped backstage, Vince was at gorilla.

"Come to my office, John. We have to talk."

He nodded, and followed his boss back to his office, knowing full well what lay ahead.

"Sit down," Vince said gruffly, when they entered the make-shift office. "What the hell were you thinking out there," the older man demanded.

"He won the match didn't he? Just like it was scripted."

"He was to win via pin fall, John. And you know that."

"Well, in case you missed it, he made some very unsavory remarks about my mom, Vince. Among other things he had no place making public."

"You mean about you and Jasmine?"

John nodded, "Yeah. I'm not breaking up with her, but we're having some problems and he overheard me talking to Cesaro about it."

"I'll talk to him and let him know to keep his promos cleaner next time, and to not involve any personal matters. Although, I think you may have taken care of that anyway."

John could have sworn there was a slight twinkle in his boss' eyes.

"I do have to take action though, John. If I don't, the other superstars will think they can get away with changing their match's endings to their likings. Not to mention…you could have caused a riot out there! You're lucky the fans didn't flood the ring. I don't have the security to stop something like that. This punishment is to also teach you a lesson in safety. Think a little more before you act, John."

"Okay, hit me," John said, leaning forward in his chair and waving off the warning. "What's my sentence?"

"You're suspended for a month, and you will be fined ten-thousand dollars."

_Jasmine will love that_ , he thought sarcastically. _There goes a pair of Louboutins and a Louis Vuitton bag._ But he kept his sentiments in check. "Alright. I'll get the fine taken care of immediately. Are we done?"

At Vince's nod, John rose to his feet and headed back to the showers to get cleaned up and go home.

_Home_ … he thought. _Is home truly home anymore_?

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18+ years of age ONLY. Chapters containing these scenes will be marked NSFW. 
> 
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Vague depiction of sex (infidelity)

 

_**Chapter 3** _

 

 

Sharlotte and Noah sat down on the large sofa with a big bowl of popcorn and cans of soda, just as Monday Night RAW's opening pyro blasted throughout the arena. A few short seconds later, Nickleback's Burn It To the Ground began playing in the background as Jerry Lawler announced that RAW was live in Miami, Florida. He went over some of the matches set up for the evening, and then mentioned that John Cena had a big announcement to make later in the night.

Noah looked over at his aunt, "Do you think it's good news, or bad news?"

Sharlotte thought for a moment. She had a feeling it was bad news, due to the way Cena acted the night before at Wrestlemania. But she didn't want to voice her opinion to Noah. He really looked up to John Cena and she did not want to jeopardize that. "I have no idea," she chuckled. "Let's see what happens."

They both watched as The Rock came down to the ring and grabbed a microphone. He stood in the middle of the ring with his signature smile, and thanked the fans for their support. Then his facial expression went serious.

"To say I'm surprised by the outcome of the match last night, is an understatement," he said. "I thought we would have an honest, clean match and-"

_Click._

Noah glanced at Sharlotte when the channel abruptly switched.

"Sorry," she said softly. "I just really don't want to hear him right now. Is that okay with you, or do you want to watch?"

Noah shook his head, "Nah. Let's keep the channel turned till he's done."

So, Sharlotte switched the channels back and forth to see when he left the ring. At one point though, she paused when she heard him mention a "vision". Curious to see if his Cena bashing was done, she listened cautiously.

"Would the people like to hear The Rock's vision," Dwayne Johnson asked.

There was a huge thunderous applause and many cheers.

"I'd like to tell him what he could do with his little vision," Sharlotte said, rolling her eyes.

Noah laughed and then turned his attention back to the television and listened as Dwayne Johnson spoke again.

"That vision is this…That The Rock—one day—will walk down that aisle…as the jabroni-beating, pie-eating, trail-blazing, eyebrow-raising, one vision in mind, don't need no revamping, The Rock is going to be WWE Champion!"

"Oh, man," Noah said. "I hope they don't have Punk lose the title to him."

"Me too," Sharlotte said softly. "I would not like that at all."

Finally, The Rock left the ring and Sharlotte saw as he began posing and running his hands along his waistline; signifying that he wanted the title belt. Then he pointed his index finger upward and said: "One time".

The cameras cut off then, and a video package prior to Wrestlemania aired of John Cena stating that if The Rock won, he'd lose everything.

Sharlotte shook her head smiling slightly. _I sure hope he was acting when he said that line_. " _Lose everything_ "? _He'll always have fans_ , _no matter what happens. He's getting married..._ She chose to brush over that tidbit simply because of _who_ he was marrying. _He_ _has a great job and success. I highly doubt a loss from The Rock is going to cost him_ " _everything_ ".

She and Noah sat through a match between Santino Marella, against Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger, and then a three-minute squash match between Alex Riley and Lord Tensai—formerly known as A-Train.

Then finally, John Cena's entrance music blasted forth, and Cena emerged from Gorilla, heading down the ramp to make his announcement.

But, he was wearing a sling.

 _Uh, oh,_ Sharlotte thought. _What's happened?_

Cena got into the ring and motioned for the time keeper to hand him a microphone. He instantly brought the mic to his lips and motioned for his music to be cut. "Hey ladies and gents," he called out. "I'm going to make my announcement short, sweet and to the point. As you can see I'm most definitely not one-hundred percent right now. As it turns out, I somehow managed to dislocate my shoulder last night. Luckily, I'll only be gone for about a month. But till then, I'm out of action."

Sharlotte could hear a loud "Serves You Right" chant break out through the arena. She shook her head. On one hand, she could understand the fans being upset over the match and its outcome. But on the other hand, she still couldn't bring herself to blame Cena for his actions. _A man that will defend his mother like that could not be all bad_ , she thought. The fact that the fans were basically telling him he'd been owned by karma, just showed their true maturity levels. She looked over at Noah then, as he took in Cena's words. _Thank God he didn't turn out like those fans._

"So anyway, folks," Cena concluded. "Sorry to those of you who were unhappy with the match. I had every intention of a real wrestling match, till things unfortunately got very ugly last Monday. But seriously, to you—the fans—I do apologize sincerely."

Sharlotte couldn't stop the dreamy sigh that escaped her lips. There John Cena was, being heckled by an angry mob of fans, and he still had the ability to swallow his pride and apologize. _Now that's a man_ , she thought smiling.

"What are you smiling about, Aunt Sharlotte," Noah asked, eyeing her strangely. "Cena's gonna be out for a whole month," he pouted.

"I know," Sharlotte said sympathetically. "It really sucks, kiddo. I just had my mind on something else." She ruffled his hair. "I'm sure the month will fly by, and he'll be back before you know it."

Noah nodded, though he still looked unhappy.

After Monday Night RAW went off, Sharlotte sent her nephew up to brush his teeth and to get ready for bed. She—on the other hand—had a strange feeling about Cena's injury. She thought back on his match the night before. Not once did he grab his shoulder in pain, or favor his arm, or anything.

Growing sleepy, she went upstairs and got ready for bed while her laptop booted up. She did a quick surf of all the wrestling dirt sheet sites she visited most frequently, trying to find some of the "reporters" opinions.

She quickly found what she was looking for and glanced at the first report she saw in her Google search—a report which confirmed her suspicions.

John Cena was suspended for thirty days—as well as fined ten-thousand dollars—due to his conduct with The Rock at Wrestlemania.

Irritated for Cena and disappointed he wouldn't be on TV for several weeks, yet relieved he wasn't actually injured, Sharlotte finally settled into bed and fell asleep.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

John drove his mustang down the street which led to his large home and pulled into his driveway. He guided the car into the huge garage and killed the engine. Hesitating to go inside and face Jasmine's sharp tongue, he sat for a moment. He wasn't afraid by any means, he was just in no mood for a fight.

His fiancée had done a lot of changing over the past few months since she injured her shoulder in the ring. She'd had surgery, so he tried his best to be there for her and to support her. But simply put, she'd turned into a shrew.

"Eh, screw it," he finally said, pulling his keys out of the ignition. "Delaying the inevitable isn't going to help me out any."

He climbed out of the car and grabbing his bag from the trunk, he entered the house through the kitchen. Wheeling the rolling luggage to the hallway he looked up at the stairway.

"Jasmine," he called out. "I'm home, babe." _Why do I bother with endearments_ , he wondered, slowly making his way up the stairs. He faintly heard her giggle then, followed by a loud moan, and he paused.

The sounds were coming from their bedroom.

Clenching his jaw in anger, John grabbed his cap off his head and cracked his neck, releasing some tension.

"Well, I may as well get up there," he muttered under his breath. He headed the rest of the way up the stairs and stood right outside the bedroom door. Seeing it was slightly ajar, an idea popped into his head. Quickly, he reached into his pocket, and grabbed his phone. He tapped the screen a couple times and brought up the camera, and began recording. He turned it to face him and he spoke quietly.

"What you are about to see is my fiancée—Jasmine Greenberg, to the wrestling world—in bed with another man. This is about the fifth act of infidelity to my knowledge, and the first act I've caught on camera."

With that, he quietly pushed the door open a ways, and stepped into the doorway. Smirking, he saw Jasmine straddling the hips of an averagely built blond-haired man in their bed. Not caring to watch the union, he looked away and let his camera collect the proof he would most likely need in the near future.

After a couple moments, he grew tired of waiting.

"Are you guys almost finished," he asked loudly.

He got the result he wanted. The man looked as though he would have a heart attack, and Jasmine looked right into the camera, in both shock and outrage.

"Shit, John," she shrieked and yanked the bed covers up around her.

"What is this," the man demanded.

John took one look at the guy in his bed and glared as he shut off his camera, "I'm not going to kill you. But you only have about ten seconds to get dressed, get out of my bed—and my fiancée—before I do put a load of hurt on you."

The man scrambled from the bed and yanked on his jeans and grabbed his shirt and shoes, clearly not wanting to anger the larger man further. Then he was flying past John and sailing down the stairs to make his escape.

"John… I can explain," Jasmine said, already working on a batch of tears. "I was just…so lonely… You're gone all the time and I'm here- "

"Save it, Jasmine," John said. "How many times are you going to keep trying to fool me? You're only fooling yourself."

"But…but John, I love you. I _do_. I just-"

"Have a serious impulse control problem," John finished for her. "I'm sorry, Jasmine…but there's no room for that in this relationship, or _my_ house. I also really don't feel like dealing with a disease that you could—and eventually _will_ —bring home to me."

"John, _please_ …"

"You've said more than enough," he told her. "I have had it, Jasmine. I'm not sure what I want to do, but I need some time to think. You can stay here at the house. I'm used to hotels." He turned to leave the room, and headed for the door.

"John, please don't do anything brash."

"Oh, I won't," he told her, turning back around to face her. "You've done enough of that for the both of us. You can rest assured whatever action I take will be thoroughly thought through."

And with that, he left the room, headed down the stairs, grabbed his luggage and got right back into his car. Seconds later, he was headed for the Best Western Bay Harbor Hotel.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18+ years of age ONLY. Chapters containing these scenes will be marked NSFW.

__

 

**_Chapter 4_ **

 

__

 

_One Month Later…_

Feeling better than he had in the past three years, John drove up into his driveway, pulled inside the garage and killed the engine. Unlike the way he had hesitated a month before, he instantly got out of his car and grabbed his rolling luggage out of the trunk. Heading for the door to the kitchen, he opened the door and stepped inside. His eyes instantly fell on Jasmine sitting at the kitchen table, eating a salad.

At hearing his footsteps, she turned to face him, and her face broke into a huge grin. “Oh, John! I’m so glad you’re home!” She ran to him and threw herself into his arms. “I was so afraid you’d never come back!”

John had pulled back and smiled down at her. “Relax babe. Everything has a way of working out.”

Jasmine smiled up at him, her green eyes lighting up in excitement. “We need to celebrate!”

John nodded. “I’m way ahead of ya. You’ve got a special delivery that should be here in a little while. Now, why don’t you go upstairs and pack a suitcase?”

“A trip,” Jasmine asked happily, playing with her long, brown ponytail.

“Yep,” John smiled, and flashed his dimples at her. “Where ever you want to go. I think a nice _long_ trip will really ease some of the tension in our relationship.”

Jasmine’s forehead wrinkled in confusion then. “Well, babe, I agree. This is great…But, I thought you were going back to work now that you’re officially off your suspension.”

John shrugged and pulled his cap off, laying it on the counter. “I’ll work it out. One way or another,” he answered. Before she had a chance to think about his cryptic statement, he took her hand and squeezed it. “Get up there and start packing, woman!”

Giggling, Jasmine did as he said and ran up the staircase to their bedroom, while John rolled his luggage to the laundry room down the hall. He pulled all of his clothing out along with some of the newer items he’d bought while he was living out of a hotel room. Piling them in the large washer, he began running the water and adding the liquid detergent and softener. He had just shut the washer door and was heading out of the room when he heard the doorbell chime.

He hurried through the foyer to the front door and opened it. A uniformed postal worker stood at the door.

“Is a Jasmine Greenberg here,” the postman asked, glancing down at his clipboard.

John smiled. “Yes, she is. Feel free to step inside. She’s upstairs. I’ll go get her.” Leading the postman into the large home’s foyer, he jogged up the stairs and to the bedroom he’d shared with his fiancée. “Jasmine? You need to come down and sign for your package. Are you through packing?”

“Yes,” Jasmine smiled, and kissed him as she walked by him. “Why couldn’t you sign for the package,” she asked, heading down the stairs with John right behind her. “Is it some sort of new rule or regulation?”

“I don’t know. Probably,” John answered. “Hurry up though. I want to see the look on your face when you see what’s inside.”

This made Jasmine’s steps speed up drastically. Eager to see what surprise John had gotten her, she stepped into the foyer and met the postman.

“Hi,” she greeted, as the postman handed her the clipboard.

“Hi,” he returned, “If you’ll sign right here and date it, it’s all yours.”

“Great,” Jasmine smiled, and scrawled her signature and the date on the form. In the next instant, the postman took the clipboard back and passed a thin box over to Jasmine.

“Thank you,” she grinned, and began opening the box as the postman headed out their front door.

“Careful,” John said. “I wouldn’t want you to damage it. It’s more valuable than you could imagine.”

“Oh, John…” she smiled. “I just know I’ll love it.” She continued gingerly opening the box till she could safely reach inside and pull out its contents. She found herself looking down at a sheet of paper. The top of it read in big bold letters:  


##  **EVICTION NOTICE  
**

Speechless, Jasmine looked up at John, her green eyes shooting daggers.

“What is this,” she demanded.

“Well, it looks like an eviction notice,” John answered bluntly, pulling no punches.

“No way. This doesn’t work John. I am _not_ leaving you.”

“I’m not _asking_ you to leave. I’m _telling_ you to. Don’t fight me on this, Jasmine. I’ve done my homework, trust me. I don’t just jump in and do something. I think it over, and I research my decisions. You can’t stop me from kicking your ass out of here.”

Jasmine growled out a colorful curse, throwing the paper and box at him.

“I’d take care of that if I were you,” John taunted. “You just signed the proof that it was delivered to you. If you destroy it, or ignore it you’ll be in a whole LOT of trouble. You really don’t have a choice, Jasmine,” Cena said. “You have zero control over the situation. I know that’s driving you up the wall, and I can’t lie and say I’m not enjoying it.”

“You cruel…piece of…” Jasmine spluttered out an incoherent insult.

“Maybe I am,” John said with a shrug. “But at least I’m walking out of this relationship with my freedom back intact, along with my balls. You’ll be leaving with what you came into the relationship with. Nothing.”

“What are you talking about? You can’t take gifts back!”

“Jasmine, Jasmine, Jasmine,” John clicked his tongue, “Do you really want me to post that footage of you online?”

She screamed in rage, then and lunged at him, her hands ready to claw his eyes out. Cena quickly and easily dodged her attack and then grabbed her arms in an attempt to restrain her and avoid injury.

“Jasmine, calm down, or I’ll have you arrested for domestic violence. I rarely toss my name around to get what I want, but so help me if you lay one finger on me I’ll call the cops so fast your head will swim.”

She screamed again and struggled against his hands. He was careful to hold her tight enough so she couldn’t get loose, but loosely enough so he didn’t bruise her. The last thing he needed was her twisting the situation and accusing _him_ of domestic abuse.

“Now, are you calm enough, or do I need to restrain you a little longer,” he asked.

She glared at him, but said quietly, “Let me go.”

“Fine.”

He loosened his hold on her wrists, but quickly latched onto her engagement ring. He deftly plucked it off her finger and slipped it into his jeans pocket.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Jasmine growled, reaching for his pocket.

“Oh, yes I do,” Cena countered, pushing her hand away. “This ring meant nothing to you. So I’m not letting you keep it to go hock for a few bucks. I bought it, and so it’s mine.”

“You sorry excuse for a man,” Jasmine spat. “Why did you do all this? You said we were taking a trip. You said we’d worked everything out!”

John shook his head, “Nope. What I actually said was that "everything has a way of working out”. And it is working out. For me. And as for the trip…all I said was for you to go pack. And to go where ever you wanted. You are the one who assumed I was talking about us taking a trip.“ He paused with a malicious glint in his sapphire eyes. "Now, go get your things and get out of my life, Jasmine.”

Sputtering in rage, but unable to manufacture a coherent sentence, Jasmine stomped up the stairs to get her suitcase and anything else she owned.

A couple of minutes later, she came stomping back down the stairs and started for the front door. John stopped her however.

“I want your keys.”

“What?”

“You heard me. I want your keys to my house, my gym, my cars, my storage unit and I want the remote control garage door opener. Now. Hand them over, or I’ll get them myself.”

Growling in fury, Jasmine dug into her purse and grabbed her key ring. She fumbled around and handed John each of the keys he demanded, and the garage door opener.

“There,” she snarled, her eyes flashing fire. “You’re going to be sorry, John Cena. Very sorry.”

“Nope. I’ve already been sorry where you are concerned. I think now, I’ll be happy.”

Mumbling something about hating him, Jasmine spun around, and stalked out of the house, calling a taxi on her cell phone.

John puffed out a sigh of relief, as he watched her brunette head grow smaller and smaller.

He then went upstairs to do something he had not done in months.

He took a nap.  


 

}i{}i{}i{}i{  


 

A group of kindergartners listened intently as Sharlotte read the story of Hansel and Gretel to them in the children’s corner.

“ _‘We will bake first,’ said the old woman, 'I have already heated the oven, and kneaded the dough,_ ’” She read out loud. “ _She pushed poor Gretel out to the oven, from which flames of fire were already darting. 'Creep in,’ said the witch, 'and see if it properly heated, so that we can put the bread in.’ And once Gretel was inside, she intended to shut the oven and let her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too_.’

Sharlotte was near the end of the story when she felt her cell phone buzz in her pocket, signifying a text message. She ignored it for the moment and concentrated on the story. She loved the looks on the children’s faces as she read the exciting parts. They were enthralled. And that was a big part of what she loved about her job. Teaching people to appreciate books and stories. There wasn’t anything more satisfying than sharing her love of books.

 _Except for when I was able to skate_ , she thought. _Then skating was what I loved to share with the world._ Turning to the last page of the book, she finished the ending to the story. When she was done, the children clapped and cheered.

"Did everyone enjoy the story,” Sharlotte asked smiling.

“Yeah,” the children cried.

“Wonderful! Maybe your teachers can bring you back sometime, and I can read you another!”

“Yay!”

Sharlotte laughed and stood to her feet, “You all have a great rest of the day, and be sure to come back and visit here. We have so many stories and books to choose from.” She watched as the teachers directed their students into single file lines and led them from the library. Several of the children waved to Sharlotte and she waved back, happy with how the reading hour had gone.

She felt her cell phone vibrate again and pulled it from her pocket. Glancing at the screen, she found both messages were from Leena.

 _Leave it to Leena to think since it’s her day off, I’m automatically available_ , she thought chuckling. She tapped the screen a couple times and read the newest message first.

“ _HEY_! _Ya there_?”

The first one read:

“ _Guess who’s single as of May 1_ _st_?”

Shaking her head, she texted Leena back.

“ _You have my attention_. _But I’m at work_ , _lol_. _Can this wait till I’m off_?”

She headed back toward the circulation desk, and had just entered her office when her phone buzzed again.

“Leena, what am I going to do with you?”

Sighing, she looked at her most recent text message.

“ _No need to reply back till you’re off, but thought you’d like to know. One word: Cena_.”

She gasped, but wasn’t _completely_ shocked. So many bad rumors could be found online about Jasmine Greenberg, that Sharlotte often wondered why John stayed with her for so long.

“Poor guy,” she thought out loud. “I can only imagine the crap that’s being said to him on his Twitter.” She shook her head, baffled by the immaturity and hatefulness of so many people.

She went to the circulation desk when she heard a customer approach, intent on reading up on the situation the next time she had the chance.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

“@J _ohnCena Dude, breakups are what happens when you’re not at home enough to take care of your woman’s needs, LOL_!”

“@ _JohnCena was too busy fooling around with other Divas and Ring Rats to realize his relationship was failing! Haha_!”

“@ _JohnCena’s fiancée is at home messing around behind his back. And he’s too stupid to realize it! #Loser_ ”

Sharlotte sat at on the sofa, staring at her laptop’s screen in awe of the stupidity and meanness she’d just read on Twitter.

“Unbelievable,” she uttered. Between the dirt sheets and Twitter, John Cena’s name was being run through the mud. And she felt sure that Jasmine Greenberg would do her own share of mud-flinging in the next couple days.

 _His anti-fans neglect to realize_ he _broke up with_ her _. Men who cheat on their girlfriends or spouses rarely are the ones who initiate the breakup_ , she thought. She rolled her eyes and glanced up at the television to watch a few seconds of the X-Division title match between Austin Aries and Zima Ion. Her gaze shifted to Noah who sat on the other end of the sofa. So far he’d not mentioned Cena’s breakup with Jasmine Greenberg, and she planned to keep it quiet. She didn’t want to do anything that might mar Cena’s reputation in the boy’s eyes.

Sighing, she turned her attention back to the computer and read a few more horrid tweets. She really did feel badly for Cena. He was going through enough as it was. An idea struck her then, and she got up and headed to her large bookshelf. She grabbed her Bible and walked back to the desk. Flipping through the Bible till she found the scripture she was looking for, she smiled, setting the Bible in front of her. Within a few seconds, she had the scripture typed out, and directed to John Cena.

“@ _JohnCena_ ’ _And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.’~1 John 5:14_ ”

Clicking the “Tweet” button, she turned away from the laptop, then stood and flopped across her bed to watch the remainder of TNA Impact.

It wasn’t long till her eyes grew heavy, and she fell fast asleep.  


 

}i{}i{}i{}i{  


 

John stepped out of the shower in the men’s locker room and dried off quickly, eager to dress and get to his hotel. All he wanted was a good night’s sleep. He’d been used to getting proper sleep while he was suspended, and then he got back into the grind of work. He was staying pretty tired as of late. He figured it was due in part to the stress of the media dragging him through the mud. Not to mention, the stress Jasmine was putting on him with her numerous calls, and emails.

After pulling on his jeans and t-shirt he grabbed his phone to put in his pocket, but stopped to glance at his twitter interactions before heading out.

He scrolled through the many hate messages he’d been expecting, and the psycho obsessive fans’ “I love you” and “Marry me now” messages. He finally came to a few sane ones wishing him well through his ordeal, and quickly thanked them for their support. He finally came to one that stood out from the rest.

Drastically.

But in a good way.

“@ _JohnCena 'And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.’~1 John 5:14_ ”

John wasn’t one to read the Bible, let alone study it, but he got the message loud and clear, however. The girl who tweeted the scripture to him was letting him know to trust in God’s will for his life. And as long as he did that, everything would be fine.

Knowing he needed to hurry and get to the hotel, he wanted to thank the girl nonetheless. Her thoughtful gesture really did help him feel better about the situation.

“And it’s nice to not have a woman saying only what she thinks I want to hear,” he thought out loud. He clicked on her profile and didn’t hesitate to click the Follow button. Then he took note of her real name, and typed out a message to her directly.

“@ _IceLover1981 Thank you so much for the kind words and gesture, Sharlotte. Can’t tell you how much better it made me feel_.”

He clicked the “Tweet” button, then took one last look at her profile. “Pretty,” he said, observing her profile picture. He saw a young woman with gray eyes, long golden hair, and an almost haunted smile. She looked quite angelic, and made Jasmine pale in comparison. But when John realized he had spent a long moment just staring at her face, he closed out of his Twitter app, and went on his way, frustrated at himself for already taking a fresh interest in women. _Sheesh_ , he told himself. _Take some time and enjoy being single again_.  


 

}i{}i{}i{}i{  


 

“ _Your time is up, my time is now_  
You can’t see me, my time is now  
It’s the franchise, boy I’m shinin’ now  
You can’t see me, my time is now!”  
  


Sharlotte smiled and giggled in her sleep as her cellphone rang, the sound of John Cena’s voice entering her dreams. However, when the beat of his theme song kept thumping near her ear, she finally came awake, and realized her phone was ringing.

“Oh!”

She sat strait up in bed and grabbed the phone, looking at the screen. Groaning, she pushed the “Talk” button to answer the call.

“Leena, what in the world are you doing calling me at three in the morning?”

“ _I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help it_! _Sharlotte_ … _I couldn’t sleep_. _I got online_ … _checking Twitter, and_ … _You’re not going to believe this_!”

“What, Leena? Tell me, or I swear I’m going to hang up and go back to sleep,” Sharlotte threatened, brushing her long braid over her shoulder.

“ _John Cena tweeted you_! _He thanked you for some scripture you tweeted to him earlier tonight. And I just looked at your_ ” _Followers_ “ _list_ , _and he even_ followed _you_!”

“No,” Sharlotte gasped. “For real?!”

“ _And he didn’t just call you by your twitter ID_ , _he called you by name_!”

“Okay, Leena…I’m having information overload. Calm down, or you are going to be the cause of me losing it, and throwing a fan girl fit.”

“ _I’m so excited for you_ ,” Leena went on. “ _He called you 'Sharlotte’_!”

“Oh, my God,” Sharlotte fought off a giddy scream. The last thing she needed was to wake up Noah and have to tell him that their favorite wrestler was following her on Twitter. It might make him feel even more bummed.

“ _I know_ , _right_?”

Sharlotte headed over to her laptop which was still running on her desk. “Are you sure,” she asked her friend. “I mean…you aren’t just seeing things?”

“ _Nope_!”

She sat down and went to her Twitter interactions. Sure enough she saw where THE John Cena was following her, and saw his reply as well.

“@ _IceLover1981 Thank you so much for the kind words and gesture, Sharlotte. Can’t tell you how much better it made me feel_.”

“Oh, my God,” she cried again. She could actually feel goose bumps and tears burning her eyes. “Leena, he said I helped him feel better! I helped him feel better!” She giggled then. “I’m so happy!”

“ _So am I_ ,” Leena giggled back. “ _That’s so freaking awesome_!”

“Has definitely made my night! Wait…no…it’s made my…decade!”

“I bet! Well, I think my adrenaline rush is leaving, so I’m gonna let ya go now. I may actually get some sleep now.”

Sharlotte heard her yawn then, “Okay, well I ’ll talk to you soon. Thanks for calling me!”

“You bet! Later!”

The two disconnected the call, and Sharlotte quickly typed another tweet to John Cena.

“ _@JohnCena My friend just woke me up at 3 A.M. to tell me you followed me & tweeted me, LOL! Wow…thank you SO much! Wasn’t expecting that at all! And I’m really glad the scripture helped you to feel better. Always trust God. He’s the one being who won’t fail you. :-) Take care & keep your chin up, Champ._”

Then she shut her laptop down, and went back to bed, smiling happily in her sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18+ years of age ONLY. Chapters containing these scenes will be marked NSFW.

 

_**Chapter 5** _

 

 

John turned onto his back in the king-sized bed he now claimed as his own. He'd of course replaced the mattress and box springs set after what his ex-fiancée did in it.

 _Or rather,_ who _she'd done in it_ , he thought, throwing a muscled arm across his eyes to block out the unwanted sunlight.

He knew he needed to get up in a short while to do his cardio workout, but he desperately needed a little while longer to lie in the bed. He normally was much more energetic, but the past few months had taken a lot out of him. The last month had proven to be the _most_ stressful however. He'd lost whom he considered to be the love of his life. Instead, she wound up being the _nightmare_ of his life. He shook his head, realizing he'd never get back to sleep. Sitting up and propping himself against the headboard, he reached for his cell phone and began looking at his Twitter interactions.

He could not begin to guess how many tweets he had gotten since the night before, and he couldn't help but admit to himself, there was only one person's tweets he cared about reading at that moment.

Sharlotte Taylor.

The woman who had somehow managed to help him see a brighter side of things with just one single tweet.

He scrolled through a large number of tweets before he lost his patience and thought of a short cut. He simply went to his "Following" list and clicked on Sharlotte's profile at the top of the list. He noticed she had not put "Followed by JohnCena" in her bio. That was a nice change. Most of the people he followed—especially the females—were quick to name drop him. He also liked the fact her tweets weren't flirty.

 _Not that I'd mind a little flirting_ , he thought, eyeing the blonde's picture. _But for now, I'm happy with the simple kindness in her tweets._

Seeing the last tweet she posted was directed to him, he couldn't stop a smile from crossing his face. And he didn't _want_ to stop it. It seemed so long since he last smiled. _Really_ smiled.

"@ _JohnCena My friend just woke me up at 3 A.M. to tell me you followed me & tweeted me, LOL! Wow…thank you SO much! Wasn't expecting that at all! And I'm really glad the scripture helped you to feel better. Always trust God. He's the one being who won't fail you. :-) Take care & keep your chin up, Champ._"

He quickly typed out a tweet to her in return and clicked the "Tweet" button. Then he went into his settings and added Sharlotte into his list of mobile alerts. From then on, whenever she tweeted, his cell phone would sound.

 _I must be out of my mind_ , he thought, rising up off the bed. _I don't even know her and yet I've added her to my mobile alerts like she's a personal friend. She probably hasn't even added_ me _to_ her _alerts_! But somehow, he couldn't bring himself to alter his decision.

For once, someone had tried to make him feel better, instead of the other way around. He loved being a person who could be relied on and trusted—someone who tried to make a positive difference in the world. But once in a while, it would be nice for someone to make him feel appreciated—to feel as if _he_ mattered.

And Sharlotte Taylor had done just that.

Feeling a little more like the John Cena from years past, he walked into the bathroom, and started the shower, prepared to get his morning jog in.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte sat at a little table at the café across from the library, and picked at her grilled chicken salad while reading _The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo_. She knew she should eat, but the two tweets from John Cena had really worked her over. She was excited about them, and that excitement had done a number on her appetite.

"Get a grip, Sharlotte," she scolded herself, and deliberately took a big bite of her salad. "It was just a couple of little tweets. It's not like you've built a friendship with the guy!" She shook her head at her childish fantasies, and managed another bite of salad. _But_ , _in my defense_ , she thought, _it's not every day the face of WWE tweets his fans. And more than once, at that_!

She surprised herself by finishing her salad, and after throwing the container away, she sat back down at her table and pulled out her cell phone, checking for texts and emails. Immediately, she saw in her email a notification that John Cena had tweeted her yet again.

Upon reading the tweet, Sharlotte was speechless.

" _@IceLover1981 Despite your friend waking you up, I hope you got enough sleep. Again, I thank you for your uplifting words. You have a kind heart, Sharlotte Taylor. Don't let that change._ "

Sharlotte realized she'd been holding her breath. She let it whoosh out quietly, and then texted a tweet in reply to John's.

" _@JohnCena You're very welcome. Really._ :-) _You give so much to your fans and ask for so little in return. It's high time some of them paid you back. :-) I just wish I could do more._ "

Clicking the "Tweet" button, Sharlotte pocketed her phone, and then seeing she still had some time before she had to return to work, she settled back into her book. She had just turned the page when her email alert sounded. She grabbed her phone and went into her inbox, instantly spotting another Twitter notification.

" ** _J_** _ **ohn Cena**_ **(** _ **JohnCena**_ **)** _ **has sent you a direct message on Twitter**_ **!** "

"Seriously," Sharlotte gasped. She headed to her Twitter and went into her list of Direct Messages and hurriedly clicked on the one from John Cena.

" _If you only knew how much you've really done. I have to say, each of your tweets bring a smile to my face. I've added you to my mobile alerts. Hope you don't mind_."

"'Hope you don't mind'," Sharlotte parroted. "I'm _thrilled_!" She typed a reply to his message and quickly sent it.

_"Well I'm so glad I can make you smile! :-) And no, I don't mind at all that you've added me to your mobile alerts…but why? I mean…I'm happy you did, but I just don't understand why."_

Seeing her break time slowly coming to an end, Sharlotte placed her bookmark inside her book and got her things gathered together. Then she heard her email alert again. Smiling, she checked into it and sure enough, it was another direct message from John Cena.

" _Why_? _Because I have a good feeling about you. I usually have great intuition about people, despite my ex-fiancée. She was the only person who fooled me. Anyway, I added you to my alerts, because I can sense from your tweets that you really do care. And because even my closest friends (except for Cesaro) haven't shown the amount of concern you've shown. I've heard that sometimes it's easier to confide in a stranger than a loved one. I think there's a lot of truth in that_."

Sharlotte quickly replied back again, astonished by the heartfelt honesty in his answer.

" _Well, I have a good feeling about you too. I know that a man with a heart as big as yours could not be a bad person. :-) I have to go back to work (lunch break) now, but hope to talk to you again soon. Take care_!"

Wishing she could stay longer and talk to him a little more, she hesitantly rose to her feet and headed back across the street to the library.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

" _Well, I have a good feeling about you too. I know that a man with a heart as big as yours could not be a bad person. :-) I have to go back to work (lunch break) now, but hope to talk to you again soon. Take care_!"

John sat on his weight bench and smiled as he read the last couple lines of Sharlotte's direct message. Immediately he wrote her back.

" _Anytime I interrupt something you should be doing (such as eating), don't worry about hurting my feelings, Sharlotte. Don't feel like you have to drop what you're doing just to talk to me. Don't treat me any different than you would an acquaintance. Or a friend_. :) _Will definitely talk to you soon_. Take care."

After the message sent, he started to resume his weight lifting, only to be interrupted by the ringing of his phone. Sensing who was behind the call, he groaned, picking the phone back up and looking at the screen.

"Jasmine…give it a rest," he thought out loud. Tapping the screen, he answered the call.

"What do you want?"

" _I want to know why you're private messaging some girl on Twitter_!"

"I broke up with you, Jasmine. I don't think it's hard to understand that I'm single. Which means I am free to date if I want. However, the _woman_ you're referring to is only an acquaintance. She's been helping me to see—"

" _She's just trying to get to your money, you idiot_ ," Jasmine hissed in his ear.

"Well then I guess I won't be any worse off than I was with you, will I," John asked. "The thing is, even _if_ this woman's just trying to use me, she at least can make a better show of caring than you _ever_ did." He took a deep breath and let it out, trying to get his temper in check. "Besides, what business is it of yours? And how did you even know about her?"

" _I saw the tweets going on between the two of you. And then they seemed to stop for a while, so I got into your Twitter and checked your direct messages_."

"Oh, how nice, Jasmine," John said with a false brightness in his tone. "So you're resorting to hacking now? That's a federal offense, ya know?"

" _Don't be ridiculous_! _I knew your password_!"

"Did you have my permission to get into it?"

" _Well_ , _no_. _But_ -"

"There ya go. That makes it illegal."

" _But I'm your fiancée_!"

"No you are not. Not anymore. It's time you accepted that. And besides, that doesn't even matter, Jasmine. Quit playing dumb," John said, surprisingly gently. "You're smarter than that."

" _You may have broke up with me, but you will come to your senses_."

John groaned his frustration, "Whatever, Jasmine. Seriously, I'm hanging up now." With that, he ended the call and laid his phone back on the floor.

"Note to self: Change all passwords," he muttered under his breath as he continued his workout.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte walked back into the library and headed past the circulation desk toward her office, not even realizing the smile she had on her face.

But Leena did.

"Holy crap, girl! What's that smile for," she asked, stopping her friend short.

"Huh," Sharlotte asked, coming out of her daze. "Oh, I'm smiling…" she chuckled then, a blush creeping up her neck. "I just-" She stepped back to the circulation desk and leaned against it, a dreamy smile crossing her face once again.

"Cena tweeted you again, didn't he," Leena grinned.

She nodded, fighting the urge to bubble over with excitement, "Yes. It's crazy! I've not seen him tweet another fan in a long while. And when he does it's usually only once. But he gets back to me really quickly." She shook her head in amazement. "It's so surreal."

"What did he say to you?"

Sharlotte decided to keep his direct messages a secret. She didn't know how he'd like her telling about him about their private messages, and she didn't want to betray his trust so she just recapped his last actual tweet to her.

"He basically said that even though you woke me up at three in the morning, he hoped I got enough sleep," she said cocking her eyebrow pointedly at Leena. "He also thanked me again for being supportive, and told me I had a kind heart, and not to change."

"Wow," Leena sighed, "I'm so jealous!"

Sharlotte chuckled. "Well, don't be. It's either a fluke, or he'll get bored with me. I'm a librarian for crying out loud. Books are amazing, yes, but not everyone feels that way."

"Oh, please, Sharlotte," Leena rolled her eyes. "You're a package, face it! You've got the looks, the smarts, you're a sweetheart, and you're athletic. Men find athletic women sexy."

"I've not actually been athletic in about fifteen years, Leena," Sharlotte replied softly.

"Well, you could be if you tried," Leena countered. "And besides, even if you couldn't be, you _look_ athletic."

"Well, I exercise," Sharlotte admitted, "But that doesn't make me an athlete."

"Quit arguing with me," Leena joked. "You know what I say goes."

Sharlotte playfully smacked her best friend's shoulder, and then entered her office and sat down at her desk. Craning her neck to make sure no one was watching, she took her cell phone out and checked for any other messages.

Sure enough, she saw another email notification of a direct message from John. She hurriedly went to the message and read it.

A couple of seconds later, she had to push her breath from her lungs.

"A _friend_ ," she read aloud softly. "Is he serious? Is he _crazy_? He's only talked to me a few times. Never seen me in person…" She shook her head. "I can't believe this. I have got to be dreaming."

Knowing she needed to get her mind on her work, she made a mental note to answer his message when she was off, and put her cell phone away.

Her office phone rang then, and she picked it up, prepared to get the rest of her work day under way.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18+ years of age ONLY. Chapters containing these scenes will be marked NSFW.

 

_**Chapter 6** _

 

 

It was about an hour till Sharlotte would get off from work, and she couldn't take it anymore.

She just _had_ to write John back.

Smiling after re-reading his last Direct Message to her, she sent him one in return.

" _I'd be honored to have you as a friend._ _And just so you know_ , _I do drop what I'm doing when a friend needs to talk._ :)"

She stopped, nibbling on her bottom lip, and thought a moment before sending him another.

" _And just in case you've thought about it, you don't need to worry about me telling anyone about our DMs. I won't betray your trust_."

Sharlotte turned her attention back to her computer then and scanned in some of the returned books which had accumulated over the day's time, unable to fully get her mind on the task at hand. She was on her fifth book, when her phone dinged like a time-keeper's bell. She smiled, since that was the ringtone she'd set for when John tweeted or sent her a Direct Message. She hurriedly got back into her twitter and checked the message.

" _Well thank you_. _And if you're that selfless then you're a good friend to have_."

While she read the Direct Message, a second one came through.

 _Most likely a response to_ my _second one_ , she thought, smiling again. She read it, and almost swallowed her tongue.

" _It won't bother me if you talk about our DMs. My ex already knows about you, so I doubt it can get much worse than her finding out, lol._ "

"Oh, my God," Sharlotte gasped, feeling her heart plummet. "She'll run my name through the mud for sure!" Quickly, she texted him back and in her haste she didn't bother to correct the numerous errors she made.

" _What? How di d shr fine oit?! Will sh e try to reck my reputatiob?"_

"Oh, please, tell me she won't," she whispered. "Even if you're lying, please tell me she won't." She tried to calm her breathing as she awaited John's response. Something told her that Jasmine Greenberg wasn't going to take kindly to John private messaging a woman when they were so recently broken up.

 _Ding-Ding_!

She opened the latest message from John and read it.

" _Why do I get the feeling you're hyperventilating_? _Calm down, Sharlotte_. :) _She won't try to wreck your reputation. I understand you're worried but don't be. If she tries, I'll take care of it. I promise_. _And I changed my passwords so she won't be doing it again_."

Sharlotte breathed a sigh of relief, and sent him another message.

" _Okay. I trust you._ :) _And thank you._ "

She set her phone aside and scanned and checked in a few more books before it dinged again. Picking the phone up, she read John's newest message to her.

" _I don't know about you, but this tweeting business takes so much longer than actually talking. How would you feel about trading cell numbers_?"

Sharlotte gasped, and re-read the message to make sure she wasn't seeing things. She could only manage typing out a one-word message:

" _Seriously_?"

 _His Twitter must've been hacked_ , she thought. _No way does John Cena want my phone number._ Disappointment began to sit in, along with humiliation. _I can't believe I actually thought I was talking to John Cena_ _._

An instant later a ding sounded and she read the next message.

" _Too soon_?"

Still skeptical, Sharlotte messaged him back and voiced her concerns.

" _No, not really_ _. Just…I'm having a hard time believing you're John Cena now, lol. How do I know your Twitter hasn't been hacked_? _You wouldn't want me to give my number out to a potential psycho, now would you_?"

Almost immediately she got a reply back that said, " _Of course not_! _And you're right. I'll think of a way to prove it's me. Do you have Tout_? _If so, do you follow me on there_?"

In the next instant, Sharlotte replied to him: " _Yes_ , _and yes_. :)"

She giggled when his next message came within a few seconds.

" _Ok then_. _Will direct a private Tout to you. Stand by for confirmation_. ;)"

Leena appeared in her doorway suddenly, her hand on her hip. "What are you giggling abou-?" She cut off as Sharlotte dropped her phone onto the surface of her desk, a much too late attempt at pretending she'd _not_ been on her phone. The blush creeping up her pale face however told the whole tale.

"You're tweeting with him again, aren't you," Leena said in a hushed whisper, stepping fully inside the office. Her brown eyes lit up with excitement.

"Just a little," Sharlotte confessed. Nervously gathering her long hair into a ponytail and securing it with an elastic band. "Don't worry, I'll get my work done on time."

"Oh, I'm not worried about that," Leena said. "I've declared us closed. The doors are locked and there's not very much to be done now. So…" She sat on the edge of Sharlotte's desk, a mischievous sparkle in her brown eyes. "I've been checking my Twitter some today as well. And I've not seen any new tweets between the two of you. Not since lunch. So what's going…" Then it dawned on her. "Wait…you…Sharlotte!" She saw her friend's blush deepen. "You're private messaging aren't you?!"

Sharlotte had no choice but to nod.

"Just please don't tell _anyone_ , Leena. I don't want to cause any problems for him with Jasmine Greenberg. And she already knows about me, so-"

"What?!"

Sharlotte nodded again. "Yeah, she hacked into his Twitter account and saw our DMs to each other."

"Oh, my God, Sharlotte!"

"Is that excitement I detect, or a note of 'You should run the other way before Cena's ex kills you'?"

Leena shook her head. "No, no not that. It's excitement. And jealousy," she laughed. "But mostly excitement. What has he said to you? In private, I mean."

"I…I can't really say, Leena. I'm sorry. I just can't…I don't want to come off as one of those fans who go berserk and brag about every little tweet he sends."

Leena sighed, obviously disappointed. "I understand. I'd be the same way if I were in your shoes—I guess," she admitted regretfully. "But you have to promise if he says anything exciting to you, you _have_ to tell me!" She smiled, rising up off the desk.

"Well, okay…but…what could he possibly say to me that would be exciting?" She smacked her forehead with her palm, at realizing she had just unintentionally implied John Cena was boring. "I just mean, _why_ would he say anything exciting to me?"

"Well, I can't really say for sure," Leena smiled again. "But I get the feeling you're hiding something."

Sharlotte shook her head, and fiddled with a button on her blouse. "No. I'm not. There's nothing—"

 _Ding-Ding_!

Leena dove for the phone as Sharlotte reached for it. Leena was quicker and grasped the phone in her hand.

"Leena, don't you _dare_!"

She lunged to snatch the phone back but missed as the other woman dodged her. She could see her friend tapping the screen.

"Leena," Sharlotte hissed.

"Oh, my God! He's touted you!"

"Leena! I'm going to kill you!"

She took off after her friend when she ran from the office, Sharlotte's phone still in hand. The fact that Sharlotte had to run around her desk gave Leena a good head-start.

"Holy Schnikies, Sharly! He wants your phone number," she heard Leena squeal. It sounded as though she was headed for the Juvenile Fiction area.

Sharlotte stopped in her tracks.

 _I know that's why John sent me the Tout in the first place, but still, hearing someone else say it out loud_ … _it's so surreal_!

"Awww!"

"What is it now," Sharlotte called out, still on the hunt for her friend—and her phone.

"Your tweets make him smile!"

" _Quit reading my DMs_!"

"And he called you a friend?!"

"Leena, you're dead!"

Finally she caught her friend in the Young Adults section and tackled her to the floor.

"Give me the phone," she laughed, wrestling her friend around on the carpet. "I want to see the Tout he sent me!"

Leena gave up the fight and handed the phone over, and watched as Sharlotte pulled up the short video John had sent her.

Both women watched as John smiled into the camera and spoke clearly.

"Okay, Sharlotte Taylor…Does this work as proof?" Then he moved closer to the camera and flashed his dimples—which consequently caused Sharlotte's heart to skip a beat—and spoke again. "Can I have that phone number now?"

"Oh. My. God," Sharlotte finally managed to choke out. "I can't believe it still."

"Girl, DM him your number now, before I do it for you," Leena demanded. "I can't believe you're hesitating!"

"I'm not _hesitating_ ," she said, getting back into her Twitter and began typing out a message to John. "It's just…things like this just don't happen. Not for _me_ , anyway." She sent the message and stared at Leena. "How _did_ this happen, anyway?"

"You made a good impression," Leena smiled. "That's how."

"But it wasn't meant to be an _impression_ ," Sharlotte sighed. "I really did want to help him feel better. To let him know he does have fans who don't just like him because he's easy on the eyes."

"And so you did," Leena smiled, hugging her friend. "And he obviously knows you're being genuine." She looked down at Sharlotte's phone. "Can I ask what you said to him?"

"I asked him if he'd mind calling me later in the evening because I have to cook for Noah, and get some things done."

"Okay, come on," Leena stood and helped Sharlotte to her feet. "Let's get the rest of the books put away and get out of here. You have a very important call coming in later."

"Leena?"

Her friend caught the seriousness in her tone, and became serious as well. "Yes?"

"Please, please swear to me— _promise_ me—that you won't say a word to anyone about these DMs Cena and I have sent each other. Not even Tyler… _especially_ not Tyler. Kiddos can't keep secrets."

"I swear, _and_ I promise," Leena smiled at her friend and traced an X over her heart. "You can trust me. I wouldn't sabotage you like that."

Sharlotte nodded. "I know. This is just so big. I don't want him to think he can't trust me."

"He won't. Besides, I stole your phone. You didn't divulge the info."

"Thanks, Leena," Sharlotte smiled and hugged her best friend. "You're like a second sister, you know that?"

"And you're the sister I didn't get to have," Leena grinned, and returned the hug.

"Now, let's get done and go home," Sharlotte squealed.

"Because John Cena's freaking gonna call you!"

With that, Leena went dancing back to the circulation desk for books to put away.

Shaking her head at Leena's silly antics, Sharlotte went to her office to grab her share of the books. _I think she's as excited about it as I am_ , she thought laughing.

Less than a half hour later, the two women headed out to their cars and were driving to their homes.

When Sharlotte reached her house, she grabbed her purse and ran inside, hanging it in the hallway and flew as quietly as possible up the stairs so as not to wake Julie. She hurried down the hall to Noah's room to inform him she was starting dinner, but she saw he'd left a note on his door for her.

_Aunt Sharlotte,_

_Went over to Tyler's house after school. Will be home in time for supper._

_Love you,_

_Noah_

Sharlotte went back down stairs then and began gathering the ingredients to make chicken fajitas. Right after she had the counter lined up with chicken, red and green bell peppers and tortillas, her cell phone rang in her pocket. Looking at the Caller ID, she realized she did not recall seeing the phone number before. Quickly, she accepted the call and answered it while she set the table with plates and silverware.

"Hello?"

It was unmistakably John Cena's voice which greeted her.

" _Hi_ , _Sharlotte_."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18+ years of age ONLY. Chapters containing these scenes will be marked NSFW.
> 
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Suggestive Language

 

_**Chapter 7** _

 

 

John sat down on a locker room bench as a female voice answered his call.

"Hi, Sharlotte."

At the dead silence, he thought he may have dialed Sharlotte's number incorrectly.

"Have I got the right number," he asked, getting prepared to hang up.

Suddenly, he heard the female stammering over the phone and smiled, realizing he was finally hearing Sharlotte's voice after all. He liked it. It was soft and feminine. It matched her picture perfectly.

" _Cen-Cena_?… _I-I mean_ …John _Cena_?... _I'm sorry_ ," she cleared her throat. " _I'm just really_ …"

John chuckled and tried to put her at ease. "John works just fine. Did I catch you off guard?"

Finally she managed to speak without stuttering.

" _Just a little_. _I didn't think you'd be calling till later_. _But I'm glad you did_ ," she added quickly.

"So am I," John said, smiling. He tucked the phone between his face and shoulder, and drew his knee up so he could tie the laces on his shoe. "Did I interrupt your cooking or anything?"

" _No_ … _I haven't quite started cooking yet. I just got in a few minutes ago. I may just order out. Noah— my nephew—isn't home yet and I don't know when to expect him exactly."_

"So you're his guardian? What happened to his parents? If you don't mind my asking—Sorry, I'm just curious." John rolled his eyes at himself. _So much for small talk_ , he berated himself. _It's as if I've never spoken to a woman before. My conversational skills have flown out the window!_

" _Oh, no…It's fine_ ," Sharlotte assured him. " _Well, Noah never knew his father. His mother_ — _my sister_ — _is a nurse and works horrible hours. We all live together, so I've helped raise him_."

"Wow," John replied. "You become even more amazing the more I learn of you."

" _Oh, I'm not amazing_ ," Sharlotte chuckled. " _I only did what anyone would do for family_. _You_ …You're _amazing. I wish I could do even just half the good you've done_."

John smiled, and felt his face heat up. "Well, thank you, even though—like you—I wouldn't agree that I'm amazing. I've just been blessed, so I try to give back some of those blessings. And I'm glad there are people in the world like you that want to do some good. I'm a strong believer that everyone should do what they can and help as many people as they can. And as long as I've got the ability, I'm gonna spend my life doing just that."

" _I'm glad_ ," he heard Sharlotte say softly. " _All those children you grant wishes too…it's so touching. You can really see that you've changed their lives_."

"I've never felt like that," John returned. "I feel like I should be able to do more for them. It's never feels like enough, ya know?"

" _Yes_. _I do_."

He heard a door slam over the phone then, and realized Sharlotte's nephew must be home. He knew he needed to hang up and let Sharlotte get back to dinner preparations, but he found himself reluctant to do so.

 _I need to run over my match anyway_ , he thought.

Hesitantly, he spoke. "Well, I'd better get off here and let you get back to your dinner plans. It sounds like your nephew must be home."

" _Yeah, he is_ ," Sharlotte said. " _I've enjoyed speaking with you. Thank you for calling._ "

He smiled at the disappointment in her voice.

"Would it be okay to call you again after my match tonight?"

" _I'd like that_."

"So would I. Well, I'll talk to you later then. Bye, Sharlotte."

" _Goodbye_. _John_?"

"Yeah?"

" _Have a safe match_."

He smiled yet again. "Thank you. I will. Don't worry about me. Later." Still smiling, he disconnected, and stood to his feet, preparing to warm up and practice for his match.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Nearly an hour later, Sharlotte's heart rate had still not slowed down. She'd decided to order a pizza for dinner instead of cooking. Her nerves were just too rattled.

She sat the pizza on the table and tried to still her trembling hands as she poured a glass of water for herself, and apple juice for Noah.

"Did that really happen," she wondered out loud. "I really had a conversation on the phone, with John Cena?"

Shaking her head in disbelief, she headed upstairs and called Noah down for supper.

They ate and discussed Noah's day at school, Sharlotte's day at work, and the current wrestling storylines and where they thought the writers were planning to take the plots.

Suddenly, the kitchen phone rang, and then Sharlotte jumped up to answer it before it could wake Julie up.

"Hello?"

" _Yes, can I speak with Julie Taylor_?"

"She's sleeping right now. Can I take a message?"

" _Well, sort of. I'm sorry, this is Shonda, at Tallahassee Memorial. I'm the charge nurse for the second shift, but I have to leave early for a family emergency. Can you wake Julie up and ask her to the phone_? _I really need her to come in early_."

Inwardly, Sharlotte groaned.

_Julie hasn't even gotten to sleep but a few short hours._

But she knew it wasn't her place to interfere, so she answered politely. "Yes. Give me a moment."

With that, she headed up the stairs and entered Julie's darkened room.

"Julie," she called softly, approaching the bed. "Jules? Wake up, sis." She nudged her sister gently and woke her. At hearing a tired groan, she kept her voice low and gentle. "Julie, there's a Shonda on the phone for you from the hospital."

"Okay," her sister said, beginning to sit up. "Thanks."

Sharlotte left the room after Julie took the phone from her and greeted Shonda sleepily. Heading down stairs to finish her meal, she met Noah at the foot of the staircase.

"Did you finish eating already," she asked him.

He nodded, "Yeah. I have a science test I need to study for."

"Okay, well get to studying," Sharlotte smile and ruffled his hair. "After I clean the kitchen up I'll be on the porch for a while if you need help or anything."

"Okay. If I don't see you anymore tonight, goodnight, Aunt Sharlotte. I love you."

Sharlotte smiled as Noah leaned into her and hugged her close. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back.

"I love you too, kiddo. Very much. Don't stay up too late, okay?"

"I won't."

She watched as Noah continued up the stairs, and then she headed back into the kitchen and finished eating. Her thoughts immediately shifted to the phone call from John Cena which she would be receiving later. Her face flamed as she thought over the first call.

 _I still can't believe it_ , she thought, bewildered. _I must be dreaming_.

But she knew she wasn't. John Cena really had called her and spoke with her as if she wasn't just a fan. She stood, and began clearing the table of dishes, and left the remaining pizza on the table, figuring Julie would need to eat a bite of dinner before she left. Just as she finished the thought, Julie jogged down the stairs dressed in her scrubs, darting into the hallway and returning immediately with her purse.

"Bye Sharlotte. I'll be back in the morning."

"Julie, shouldn't you eat something before you go?"

"No time. I'll grab a burger or something I can eat on the way. Good night."

"Good night," Sharlotte called as the door slammed.

Shaking her head, she began grabbing the dishes out of the sink and loading them into the dishwasher. She knew Julie needed to slow down, but she had no idea how to make her sister see the error of her ways.

"One day, she's going to see Noah as a grown man, and then she's going to wonder how it happened so fast," she muttered, turning the dials on the dishwasher and starting the wash cycle. Then, grabbing her cell phone off the counter top, she headed outside to the large porch and stretched out on the porch swing. She listened to the crickets chirping and smiled. She loved the seclusion of their home. It lacked the wild traffic a lot of the other cities had, and she was grateful for the fact. She liked peace and quiet when she was at home. Content, she smiled and didn't realize she was dozing off till her cell phone rang in her hand. Jumping awake instantly, she noticed the time on the phone and couldn't believe it.

"I've been here for an hour," she gasped. Then, at taking note of the phone number on the Caller ID, she realized it was John calling her and she quickly answered the phone. "Hi!"

" _Well, 'hi' yourself_ ," she heard John chuckle. " _You sound pretty happy. Something good happen_?"

Sharlotte took a deep breath and for the first time in her life, dared to say exactly what was on her mind.

"Well, yeah," she admitted, smiling. "I woke up to a phone call I was really looking forward to."

" _Ah, well what a coincidence_ ," John teased her back. " _I just made a phone call I was really looking forward to. Though I feel badly for waking the recipient up_."

"Well, don't feel badly. I know for a fact she enjoys hearing from you."

" _Oh, really_?"

She heard a smile in John's voice.

" _Well, I like talking to her_. _She's real, and she doesn't just try to impress me._ "

Sharlotte felt her face burn, and had no idea what to say.

" _Anyway, all joking aside, I really do enjoy our conversations_. _Both on Twitter and on the phone_."

"So do I," Sharlotte said, just as her neighbor from down the road drove by, returning home.

" _I just heard a car_ … _and you said I woke you up. Please tell me you were not asleep outside by yourself, woman_. _Especially at night_."

"Just on my porch," Sharlotte answered, inwardly sighing dreamily at his concern. "As a rule I don't do that. I promise."

" _You better not_ ," John threatened jokingly. " _You wouldn't like it if I came there to give you a good talking to_."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Sharlotte laughed, fiddling with her French braid. Even with the intricate plaiting, her hair still reached midway down her back.

" _Hmmm_ … _I'll have to remember that_."

"Promises, promises," she sighed melodramatically, and earned a full-fledged laugh in her ear.

" _Where do you live anyway_ ," John asked, turning serious.

"I'm in Tallahassee. Kind of out in the country," Sharlotte replied, kicking off her flip-flops and stretching out on her back on the large porch swing. "There's a few ranches around here. My nearest neighbor is about a mile down the road."

" _Wow, I didn't realize you were in Florida_ ," John commented. " _You're only about four hours away_."

"It's a small world," Sharlotte agreed. "You're from Massachusetts, but live in Florida…how do you like Florida?"

" _I like it really well_ ," John said. " _Of course I have times when I miss West Newbury and Boston, but for the most part I love Florida_."

"Did you move for business reasons?"

" _Yeah, pretty much. I sometimes fill in and help train newcomers at NXT, so it just made things a lot easier on my schedule in the long run to move to Tampa_."

Sharlotte heard a doorbell ring loudly on John's side of the call.

John sighed, " _Doesn't look like it's a good day for a long conversation, huh_? _Can you hang on for a second_? _I'll try to get rid of whoever it is, if it's not important_."

"No problem."

" _Okay, back in a minute_."

The phone was laid down and she heard as he opened the door and greeted someone gruffly. " _What are you doing here_?"

Jasmine Greenberg's voice hissed in return: " _Trying to reach you on your phone. Who have you been talking to_? _Your little internet slut_?"

Sharlotte pulled the phone from ear and glared down at it.

"Oh, you'll pay for that one if I ever see you in person," she thought out loud.

Putting the phone back to her ear, she heard John addressing his ex.

" _Yes, Jasmine, I've been on the phone with her all day long. You just interrupted our fourth round of phone sex. Now can you leave so we can finish it and get onto our fifth_?"

Sharlotte gasped in shock at hearing what John had more than implied. She detected the thick note of sarcasm in Cena's voice easily enough, but apparently Jasmine was more gullible. She listened as Jasmine Greenberg fired back at him.

"Oh, four times, huh? You never could go that long when _we_ were together."

"Well, maybe I've found someone who knows what she's doing—someone who doesn't just see to her own needs."

Sharlotte could feel her face literally burning like fire as she chuckled. But, then she heard the unmistakable smack of a slap, and gasped at the harsh sound.

There was a long pause, and then John's voice spoke up.

" _That one's a freebee. The next one will cost you_."

" _What_? _Are you going to hit me, John_?

" _No. I'd never hit a woman, and you know that. But I think you're forgetting, I have dirt on you. And I have PROOF of said dirt. If you do not leave me alone, I'll use it. If you even attempt to run Sharlotte's name through the mud, I'll use it. Do you understand me, or do I need to produce the video of you doing everything BUT_ sleeping _with another man in my bed_?"

Sharlotte heard a female scream of rage followed by the breaking of glass.

"Oh, my God!…John! Are you okay," she shouted in the hopes that John would hear her.

She heard Jasmine yelling in anger, and then heavy footsteps.

"John! Please, answer me!"

In the next instant, there was a rustling sound as the phone was evidently picked up.

" _Sharlotte_? _I'm sorry, sweetie. Yes, I'm fine. Just my psycho ex doing what she does best_."

" _Oh, what does she care how you are_? _And I'm not your ex for long_ ," Sharlotte heard Jasmine yell angrily.

John cursed then, "Jasmine _, just shut up_!"

Still reeling from the term of endearment John called her, Sharlotte's temper still managed to ignite. She spoke calmly, "John, could you put me on speaker phone, please?"

She could have sworn she heard him chuckle. " _Sure thing_."

Giving him a second to change the phone to speaker, she then spoke distinctly. "Now, you listen to me, you pathetic, bimbo party-girl. Just because _you_ didn't grasp what a great catch you had, doesn't mean another woman doesn't see John Cena for the great person he is. Face it—you lost. And you lost _big time_."

" _You bitch slut_!"

Sharlotte forced a laugh even though she was seething.

"John was being sarcastic about the phone sex, genius. You'd know that if your brain wasn't so full of silicone. Why don't you try substituting a book for a boob job once in a while? It would probably do wonders for you."

" _I'd love to see you face to face, you little_ -" Jasmine growled.

" _You won't touch her_ ," Sharlotte heard John cut her off. " _Now_ , s _ince you have no right to be here anymore, you're free to leave. Call me when you've thought about my offer. Bye, Jasmine_."

There was some loud stomping, and then the slamming of a door.

John spoke to her then. " _So sorry about that. I don't know what it will take to get through to her that we're over_."

"I'm sorry if I was out of line with some of the things I said to her," Sharlotte said softly. "I just couldn't sit here and say nothing. Are you sure you're okay? It sounded like she totally went nuts."

" _I'm fine, Sharlotte. I promise. She only slapped me and then threw a tantrum—along with a vase. But thank you for your concern, and for jumping to my defense._ "

"No need to thank me, I'm just glad you're okay. The glass breaking freaked me out. I had no idea what was going on."

" _I'm sorry she scared you_ ," John said. " _I meant to be rid of her before it got out of hand, but she has a way of really testing my patience_."

"I can understand why," Sharlotte chuckled.

" _Well, I think we've had enough excitement for the day. I should get a work-out in before bed. How about we both get some rest and talk again tomorrow_?"

"Really?"

" _Yeah. Why not_?"

"Well, _I_ can't think of a reason why not," Sharlotte smiled through her reply, "I just didn't know you'd want to call again. At least not so soon."

" _Well, I do. You make me forget about some of the bad stuff going on in my life right now_."

"How do I do that?"

" _You…well…you just…bring a genuine smile out of me. I smile on TV and stuff, I know, but it's just…not been the same for a long time. I haven't actually FELT a smile since shortly after Jasmine and I became engaged. Not till I started talking to you_."

"John…" Sharlotte was taken aback. "All I did was send you a tweet. That's nothing anyone else couldn't have done. If you're happy now, it's because of yourself. You gained the courage to do what needed to be done."

" _When you sent that first tweet, did you have the intentions of helping me feel better_?"

Sharlotte was quiet for a moment.

"Yes," she admitted quietly. "I didn't _expect_ it to. I didn't even expect you'd see it due to all the tweets you must receive, but I really _hoped_ you would see it, and I really hoped if you did, it would give you some comfort."

" _Well, I_ did _see it, and it_ did _give comfort. And yeah, anyone else could have sent it, sure. But they didn't._ You _did_."

He had her there, she had to admit.

" _Ya still there_?"

"Yes. I'm trying to think up a suitable and logical argument so I can rest my case."

She heard him laugh, and couldn't help laughing herself.

" _How about we both rest our cases, and talk tomorrow_ ," John joked.

"I'd love to hear from you again," Sharlotte said smiling. "As long as Jasmine doesn't make any more surprise visits while we're talking. I don't really want a heart attack at the age of thirty."

She heard John chuckle again, " _Deal. Now get yourself in the house, woman. No more falling asleep out there_!"

"No more, I promise."

" _Good. Sweet dreams, Sharlotte_."

"Sweet dreams."

She disconnected the call, and smiled.

"And there _will_ be sweet dreams now, I'm sure," she giggled to herself.

She stood to her feet then and entered her house, locking the door behind her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Bullying, and some abusive tendencies toward a child.

 

_**Chapter 8** _

 

 

Sharlotte took a sip of her coffee and had just finished checking in a load of books to be shelved when her office phone rang suddenly and she turned her attention over to the phone call.

"Hillsborough County Public Library…This is Sharlotte. How may I help you," she answered.

" _Is this Sharlotte_ Taylor," a male voice asked.

"Yes, it is," Sharlotte replied. "Can I help you with something?"

" _Miss Taylor, this is Principal Jones at Coleman Elementary School. I'm sorry to bother you at work, but you're down in Noah's file as the one to contact regarding any problems…"_

"Is Noah all right," she asked immediately, gripping the phone tight in her hand.

" _Oh, yes, I'm sorry. Nothing like that. The thing is, he's gotten into a fight. I'm going to have to suspend him. I hoped you could take him home today and have a talk with him. I'm aware of yours and your sister's schedules so we could have him do In House Suspension starting tomorrow._ "

"Suspended," Sharlotte gasped. "That doesn't sound like Noah."

" _Yes, that's why I was hoping you could take him home for the rest of the day. If you could get him to open up about it, we may be able to help the situation. I've a feeling it had to do with bullying, but he won't say what it is directly._ "

"Okay," Sharlotte sighed. "I'll be there in just a few minutes." She hung up the phone and walked down the hall to her boss' office to request the rest of the day off. "Emilia," she called knocking on the open door. "May I come in?"

She'd felt uncomfortable calling the older woman by her first name when she first came to work at the library. But Emilia James had quickly put her at ease by saying, "Dear…friends don't call each other 'Mr.' and 'Mrs.', do they?"

"Of course you can," Emilia replied. "What can I do for you?"

Sharlotte stepped into the small office and explained her dilemma with Noah. "My nephew's being suspended due to a fight at school. Would it be okay to take the rest of the day off?"

Emilia nodded, "Yes, we're having a slow day anyway. Go and get your nephew and straiten him out, dear," she chuckled. "He's at such a critical age."

Sharlotte nodded her agreement. "Thank you. I will, believe me."

She hurried from the office and grabbed her purse before running out to the parking lot and getting into her car.

Within minutes, she was at the school and heading inside. It didn't take her long to reach the principal's office. Once she entered, she saw Noah sitting in a plastic chair off to the side of the room. He already had the beginnings of a black eye.

"Noah!" She hurried over to him and crouched down, inspecting his face. "What on earth happened? You know not to fight."

Noah didn't answer. He just sat in the chair avoiding eye contact with Sharlotte.

"Noah Jordon Taylor, you look at me, right now."

Hesitantly, the boy's gaze shifted to his aunt's face.

"Tell me what, happened."

"I don't want to talk about it here," Noah whispered.

"Fine, we'll discuss it at home," Sharlotte said and then glanced over at the principal. "Where is the other boy? Is he being punished as well?"

"Yes. There were actually _two_ other boys. Many students witnessed the scuffle. All of them stated the two boys instigated the fight. They also said Noah was only defending himself. Seeing as the other two boys have had a few other behavioral problems, and Noah has had none—till now—I have to believe Noah was not completely at fault. But, even so, I still have to punish both parties. Otherwise, parents could complain that I show favoritism."

"I can understand your position, Mr. Jones," Sharlotte said. "But nonetheless, I highly doubt you could get into too much trouble with so much evidence against the other two. Especially since my nephew has never done anything wrong. He's never so much as had a detention."

"Yes, Ms. Taylor. I understand completely. And I sympathize. Really, I do. That is why I'm only suspending Noah for two days."

"Well, if you insist on punishing him, can you at least make sure this doesn't happen again," Sharlotte asked angrily.

"I will certainly keep my eye on the situation."

"Thank you," Sharlotte said curtly. She turned her attention back to Noah. "Okay, let's go home and discuss this, kiddo."

As the boy stood, Principal Jones spoke to him softly. "Tomorrow just come here instead of home room, okay, Noah? We'll get your In House Suspension started right away."

Sharlotte couldn't help the slight death glare she shot the principal as she led Noah out of the office.

The boy followed his aunt out to her car and they rode in silence till they got home.

"Have you had lunch yet," Sharlotte asked him, hanging her purse in the hallway.

Noah shook his head. "No. I was in the principal's office for about an hour before he had you come get me."

"He didn't even let you eat?" She groaned under her breath, "Insufferable man. Come on in the kitchen, and I'll fix both of us some lunch while we discuss this."

They both headed into the kitchen, and Sharlotte began grabbing cold cuts and cheese to make them each a sandwich. She got down two plates from the cabinet and placed a couple slices of whole grain wheat bread on each of them. As she began putting the sandwiches together, she glanced over at Noah as he sat down at the kitchen table.

"So, you want to tell me what happened?"

Her nephew looked down at the table and took a deep breath, then answered her in a quiet voice. "They heard me talking to a friend…about wrestling. They started making fun of me for watching it. I tried to ignore them. But they…"

Sharlotte heard him sniffle and looked up to see him crying.

"Oh, Noah… Don't cry," she said, hurrying over to him. "She gathered him into a hug and held him tightly in her arms. "I promise…this will be taken care of." She pulled back to look him in the eye. "Noah, I need you to answer me something, and be honest, please?"

The little boy nodded and wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his shirt.

"Did you fight back because you _had_ to? Did the other boys not let you walk away?"

He nodded again. "I didn't want to fight. I don't even know how. But one held me down while the other hit me. All I did was kick him in the knee—to get him away from me." More tears filled his blue eyes and he hugged Sharlotte again. "I didn't mean to be bad."

"Oh, sweetie, you weren't. Don't worry. I'm not angry at you," Sharlotte coddled him as she rubbed his back soothingly.

"What's happened," came a groggy voice from behind them. They both looked up to see Julie in the doorway, looking quite irritable. She entered the kitchen and took in Noah's condition.

"He was suspended for fighting today," Sharlotte said, and immediately realized she blurted it out all wrong.

"Fighting?! Suspended," Julie demanded. "Noah Taylor, you weren't raised to fight!"

"I'm sorry, Mom," Noah cried. "I didn't mean to."

"Let me explain, Julie," Sharlotte cut in. "He was being-"

"I don't care," Julie hissed at her sister. "We're not a family of animals, and we certainly aren't going to act like one!" She turned to her son then, "Noah, you are grounded for a week. That means no wrestling, no computer, no tv, no movies. And you're going to bed without supper tonight."

Sharlotte moved in front of Julie then, anger glinting in her gray eyes.

"He is _not_ going to bed without something to eat."

"Sharlotte…he's _my_ son. I will punish him as I see fit."

"You can ground him if you want. But starving him is abuse. I will not let you do to _him_ what Daddy did to _you_. Don't you remember how I'd sneak you some food into your room? I couldn't handle watching you starve, and I can't handle watching Noah either. He _will_ have dinner, Julie."

Julie glared at her sister. "Fine."

"Jules…give him a chance to explain. He was being bullied. He didn't _want_ to fight!"

Julie looked down at Noah. "Is this true?"

He nodded. "Y-yes, Mama. Please, don't be mad at me. Two boys hit me. They were making fun of me because I watch wrestling-"

"So this is about wrestling," Julie interrupted, glaring up at Sharlotte. "I've told you so many times I hate for him to watch that garbage. He never should have been subjected to it. Especially at such a young age."

"But Mama…it's not-"

"I don't want you watching it anymore."

"Mom! Please," Noah begged. "I'll do whatever you want, just please don't make me give up wrestling!"

"That's my final word, Noah. No more wrestling."

With that, she turned and left the room. Leaving Noah in tears.

Sharlotte's eyes filled with tears as well. She couldn't imagine Noah not getting to see his favorite athletes anymore. And she couldn't imagine never watching wrestling with her little nephew cuddled up beside her again.

"I'm so sorry, Noah," she whispered shakily, pulling him into her arms. "I don't think I handled that the way I should have. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault."

Noah hugged her back and choked back a sob. "She'll never let me become a wrestler."

Sharlotte pulled back a ways and looked into his eyes. "This isn't over, Noah. I'll keep working on her to change her mind."

"Maybe to watch wrestling, yeah," Noah said. "But to train to become a wrestler, she'll never let me."

He said it with such sadness, Sharlotte couldn't bear it. She knew then, Noah needed her support. He needed her _approval_.

"Noah, if that's what you want, you will _have_ to go for it," she whispered. "You can't let anyone or anything stand in the way of your dreams. _Nothing_." She wiped the tears from his cheeks. "I love you so much. And you know I'll do whatever I can to help you see your dreams come true."

Noah hugged her fiercely. "I love you too, Aunt Sharlotte."

Sharlotte would never know the relief her nephew felt at finally hearing her voice her support for him. The child had waited such a long time for it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18+ years of age ONLY.  Chapters containing these scenes will be marked NSFW.

 

_**Chapter 9** _

 

 

As soon as she got home from work the next day, Sharlotte hurried into the kitchen and began pulling out what she needed to make the chicken fajitas which she'd failed to make the evening before. Quickly, she pulled the marinated chicken strips from the Ziploc baggie and began cooking them while getting the other ingredients prepped for the dish.

A few minutes later, she had the cooked food and some warmed tortillas on the table just as her phone notified her of a text. She pulled it out of her pocket to see who messaged her. She couldn't help but smile when she recognized John's cell number.

" _Sorry I didn't get to call you yesterday. My schedule was more chaotic than usual. Call you in the next hour or so_?"

She typed out, "Can't wait. :-)" and sent the message to him. She started to go upstairs to tell Noah supper was ready, but remembered Julie was gone, working a double shift.

"Noah! Dinner time," she called loudly, setting a couple of plates at their places. She heard him coming down the stairs as she filled two glasses with iced-tea.

The little boy sat down at the table looking dejected and as if the weight of the world was on his small shoulders. Sharlotte sat down beside him.

"Are you hungry," she asked, raising her gaze to Noah's face.

He shrugged. "A little, I guess." He glanced up at his aunt and offered a wan smile. "The fajitas smell good."

Sharlotte's heart broke for him. She could see he was making a valiant effort to put on an act—to not seem so depressed in front of her. "How was school," she asked him. "Was it bad?"

He shook his head as he pulled a tortilla onto his plate and Sharlotte loaded it with some veggies, chicken and cheddar cheese. "No."

She took a bite of her fajita and had the strong sense he wanted to say more. Going with her gut instinct, she prodded him further. "How was the in house suspension? Were you alone?"

"No, there was a teacher there."

"Well, I assumed that," Sharlotte said. "Were there any other students with you?"

Noah huffed a sigh and set his fajita back on his plate. "Jake and Sean were there."

"And I'm guessing from the way you said their names…they're the bullies."

"A couple of them, yeah," Noah admitted.

"Did they bother you today," Sharlotte asked after swallowing another bite of fajita.

"Only when the teacher left the room. They didn't hit me or anything. They just said mean things…called me names—that kind of thing."

"Well, you'll be spending your last suspended day here," Sharlotte assured him. "I'm not going to send you into the lion's den. I can't believe they had you in the same room with your bullies, let alone leaving you alone with them at times. That principal is so getting a piece of my mind in the morning."

"Aunt Sharlotte? I'm full now. Can I go up to my room?"

"Sure, baby," Sharlotte replied, patting his shoulder. "I'm going to take care of this. Somehow. Okay? I love you."

Noah nodded, and stood from the table. "I love you, too."

He walked back upstairs to his room while Sharlotte nibbled at the rest of her supper and fought against the tears burning her eyes.

"God, help me know what to do for Noah," she prayed. "I get the feeling this principal doesn't really care and I don't think he's really going to do much about all of this."

Feeling queazy, she rose up from the table and began putting the leftovers away and clearing the table. She'd just put the last dish in the dishwasher when the house's landline rang.

Not bothering to glance at the Caller ID, she picked up the cordless phone and answered, "Hello?"

" _Did your kid enjoy his black eye_?"

Sharlotte felt chills race up her spine. "Wh-What? Who is this?"

The line clicked.

Her hand shook as she put the cordless phone back in its cradle, and then nearly jumped out of her skin when her cell phone rang inside her pocket. Gaining her composure, she pulled the phone out and answered it.

"H-Hello?"

" _Sharlotte_? _Everything okay_?"

She breathed a sigh of relief at hearing John's voice. "Yes, everything's fine. Just...the past couple days have been a bit rough. How are you?"

" _I'm great_ ," came his reply. " _But tell me about your rough time. What happened_?"

"I don't want to load you down with my-"

" _Sharlotte_ ," John said softly. " _Tell me. I can practically hear the tension in your voice_."

She managed a smile at his ability to read her. "Well... Noah had a situation at school yesterday."

" _Uh_ , _oh_ ," John said, setting foot back down. " _Did he get into some trouble_?"

"That's a little hard to answer. Technically, yes, he did. But he shouldn't have," Sharlotte replied with a sigh. "He's being bullied. And the lousy principal is not only useless, but unfair."

" _Should I give the principal a call_ ," John asked her. " _There's being a huge stand taken against bullying now. WWE's affiliation with B.A. Star could be very persuasive_."

"No, that's all right. I don't want to do something that could potentially spotlight Noah in the news or something. He's very self-conscious right now," Sharlotte explained. " _But thank you so much for the offer. That's very kind of you._ "

" _Well, the offer stands_. _If you decide you need some help, let me know. I'll take care of it_."

" _Okay, I will_ ," she said. "For now, I'm going to try to get through to the principal again, and get Noah a cell phone to call me with, if he needs to."

" _Is he doing okay_ ," John asked. " _I hate to hear about bullying. So senseless_."

"I know," Sharlotte agreed. "I was bullied some too when I was a kid. Mainly for _…_ for my _…_ hobby. And as for Noah _…_ he's going to be okay. I'm determined of that."

" _I'm sure he will be, with you in his corner_ ," John replied.

Sharlotte smiled and started to say something when her cell phone's Call Waiting beeped. "Ugh... Call Waiting," she said, "Could we-"

" _How about I call you back later. After my match_ ," John suggested, a smile in his voice.

"That would be great," Sharlotte sighed. "I'm sorry."

" _Don't be. Life can get in the way sometimes_ ," he said. " _I talk to you soon_."

"Okay, bye," Sharlotte said softly, not really wanting to lose his voice. Reluctantly, she ended the call and answered the in-coming call.

"Hello?"

" _Hey, it's Julie. In my hustle to leave the house, I forgot my wallet. I need money for food in the cafeteria. Do you think you could run my wallet up here really quick_?"

Sharlotte inwardly sighed. "Sure thing. I'll be there in a few minutes."

Seconds later, she and Noah were in her car, heading for the hospital.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Monday night was the first time Sharlotte remembered watching RAW by herself since Noah was a toddler. Wrestling nights were always Sharlotte's and Noah's favorite nights.

"Julie's not just punishing Noah," she muttered in her bedroom, as she turned her television on and turned it to the USA network. "She's punishing me too."

She felt horrible about how she'd unintentionally thrown Noah under the bus about his fight. She rubbed her temples fighting off a headache. She knew Noah would love nothing more than to watch RAW with her, but she knew there was no way for it to happen at the moment. She was still unable to wear Julie down on the subject. In the meantime, Sharlotte had shown Noah a couple Youtube channels of people who uploaded the full episodes of WWE RAW, WWE SmackDown and TNA Impact. She figured he could watch the programs up in his room without Julie knowing. That way he could keep up with what happened in the story-lines. She hated going against her sister, but right was right. She could not go on seeing the sadness in Noah's eyes, while he tried to act as if everything was normal for her sake as well as his mother's.

She made up her mind right then that he would watch wrestling with her come Thursday.

Her phone rang and a smile crossed her lips. Somehow she knew exactly who was calling her.

"Hi," she answered the phone without even looking at the screen.

" _Hi, yourself_!"

She heard the smile in John's voice, and felt herself blushing.

" _So, I thought I'd call you before my match_ ," John told her. " _How are things_?"

"Still a little shaky," she replied. "But, I'm getting through it. How are _you_ doing?"

"Y _ou gotta stop doing that_ ," John said, a teasing tone in his voice.

"Doing what," Sharlotte asked chuckling.

" _Redirecting the conversation over to me just because you think I don't want to hear about the bad stuff going on in your life_."

"Well," Sharlotte started, trying to explain. "My parents always taught me that it was ill-mannered to discuss problems with your friends."

" _Wow_ ," John said, " _Did your parents not understand what friendship is_?"

"I guess not," she replied. At the silence on the other end of the line, she told him about Noah. "Noah's mom punished him yesterday for the fight he was in. She wouldn't even let me explain what really happened. I feel like it's my fault that she was so hard on him."

" _What's his punishment_ ," John asked, curious.

"She's forbidden him to watch wrestling or to have anything else to do with it."

" _Seriously_ ," John said, amazement in his voice.

Sharlotte nodded even though John couldn't see her. "I'm afraid so. But I am working on changing her mind. If she doesn't, I'm going to let him watch anyway. He actually wants to be a wrestler when he grows up."

" _He can't let her stand in his way_ ," John said. " _I know she's his mother, but when he turns eighteen, she can't tell him what career he can or can't have_."

"I told him basically the same thing. That if he wants it that badly, he's got to go for it—no matter what."

" _You'll make a wonderful mother one day, Sharlotte_ ," John said out of nowhere.

"Th-thank you," she stammered, somewhat flustered.

" _Just telling the truth_ ," John replied. " _Listen, I have to go warm up, but I will call you as soon as I'm able. And if I can't, I'll send you a quick text and let you know, okay_?"

"I'm sorry," Sharlotte said, feeling terrible. "You called me and I yacked your ear off about my problems."

" _Hey, I asked you to_ ," he told her. " _Don't feel bad. If I helped at all by listening then I'm thrilled_."

"You did. Really," Sharlotte assured him.

" _Good. I'm glad. And I'll talk to you soon, okay_?"

"Okay. Safe match?"

" _Always_ ," John said, a smile evident in his voice. " _Bye for now, Sharlotte_."

"Bye for now, John."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Bullying

 

_ **Chapter 10** _

 

 

Thursday evening came much quicker than Sharlotte thought it would. She supposed it had to do with the fact she had so much to do. She took off from work Tuesday so she could be home with Noah on his last day of suspension. She also called the principal and informed him Noah would be staying home that last day due to his and the faculty's negligence in leaving Noah unattended with his bullies. She and John didn't have much time to speak, over those few days, but they took advantage of every chance they had.

Sharlotte came in from work that Thursday evening and immediately put in an order for pizza at hers and Noah's favorite Italian restaurant, and then began mixing and baking a large batch of chocolate chip/peanut butter chip cookies. She wanted that night to be special for Noah, so she had made sure his favorite foods would be present.

As soon as the pizza arrived, Sharlotte sat it on the kitchen table and retrieved two cans of soda out of the refrigerator, setting them on the table as well. Smiling, eager to finally break through the boy's depression, she hurried up the stairs and called him down for dinner.

She was serving their plates when he finally came downstairs. He seemed to notice the aroma of his favorite cookies, but said nothing.

They ate quietly despite Sharlotte's attempts to talk and liven the child up. Finally, she took a deep breath, knowing that her next words would most likely cost her in the near future.

"How about you and I watch TNA tonight," she asked him.

His gaze shot up to hers, his blue eyes hopeful. "Mom changed her mind? Is she going to let me have my TV back in my room?"

Sharlotte sighed and avoided Noah's gaze, "No, Noah. She hasn't and she isn't. But _I_ am. I'm tired of standing by and doing nothing when I know she's wrong."

"Are you going to tell her I've been watching it on my computer?"

"No, I'm not."

Noah nodded. "I won't tell her either." He took another bite of pizza and thought as he chewed. "Are you going to tell her you're letting me watch wrestling again," he finally asked.

Sharlotte sighed and smiled nervously at him. "Yes. I just have no idea how to break the news to her. I think I'm just going to let her see us watching together, and wing it from there."

"She'll be mad when she finds out."

"I know. But I'm afraid she'll be mad no matter how I broach the subject."

"Do you think she'll be okay with it?"

"It doesn't really matter. She's asleep till almost time for the shows to go off the air, and I'm not going to keep you from watching." She looked at Noah then. "She has a strong hatred for wrestling, Noah. That's her problem, not ours. She's not once told me why she hates it so much, and I'm tired of wondering."

"Me too."

Sharlotte smiled encouragingly. "Okay, let's clear the table. TNA comes on in a half hour. And we still have some cookies to eat!"

The boy bounded from the table and began loading the dishwasher as Sharlotte laughed, happy that her nephew was showing signs of life again.

 _Maybe, just maybe, life can get back to normal again_ , she thought.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Over the next couple of weeks, Sharlotte had relaxed more, feeling a little more lighthearted since she and Noah had begun watching wrestling together again.

She'd had a great day at work—joking with Leena, texting with John—as well as talking with him on the phone during her lunch break. She felt so much lighter than she had in weeks and had noticed a similar change in Noah as well. She smiled as she went to sleep at night and woke up with a smile on her face in the mornings. And she couldn't deny that John was a large reason for that. He always listened to her whether she was telling him the good stuff about her day, or was venting about something that went wrong. He had become her rock. And she hoped that she was helpful to him as well, during the rough time he was going through with Jasmine.

Sharlotte pulled up into the driveway and shut her car off. Seconds later, she was hanging her purse up in the hallway and heading up the stairs to greet Noah. Tapping on his door she said only loud enough for him to hear: "Noah, I'll get supper started soon. I'm just going to change my clothes."

"Okay," came the reply.

 _He sounds really down_ , she thought, her high spirits plummeting a little. She entered her room and quickly changed into a pair of snug low-rise jeans and a pink tank top and then went back to Noah's door.

"Noah?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I come in?"

There was a long pause.

"S-sure."

The door opened then, and Sharlotte saw that Noah didn't stick around to greet her. He was already walking back to his desk.

"Noah? What's wrong, kiddo?"

"Nothing. Just doing homework."

He was turned with his back to her, and absolutely would not face her.

"Are you mad at me, Noah?"

"No. Why would I be?"

"Noah, turn around and look at me."

"I'm really busy, Aunt Sharlotte."

"Noah. Turn around. Right now."

Knowing when his aunt and mother meant business, the boy slowly spun his desk chair and faced his aunt.

"Oh, my God."

Sharlotte hurried over to her nephew and gently tilted his head back, inspecting the new black eye he was sporting, along with the split lip and bruised cheek.

"Was it those boys again?"

Noah nodded, "I didn't fight them or anything, Aunt Sharlotte. I didn't want to get suspended again. I didn't want to make Mom mad either."

Tears burned her eyes as she looked her nephew over. "When did it happen?"

"After lunch. I ran home afterwards. Please, Aunt Sharlotte. I need you to call the school for me and get them to excuse my absence, or I'll get into more trouble."

Sharlotte nodded. "I will. And you're missing the whole day tomorrow as well. You and I are going to go to the cell phone store and I'm going to get you a phone. If anymore bullying happens, I want you to call me—right then. Got it? And in the meantime, I'm going to have a talk with that principal again."

Noah nodded, tears beginning to pour from his eyes.

"Oh, come here, baby," Sharlotte cooed, and held him close. "It's going to be okay."

Noah nodded again, but a sob tore from his throat anyway.

"Has this been going on ever since the first time?"

"Y-yeah, sort of. They weren't hitting me much, but when they did, they'd hit me in the back or stomach so grown-ups wouldn't see the bruises. The rest of the time they just picked on me."

"Were you afraid to go to the principal?"

"Yeah," he replied. "I thought he'd get mad and suspend me again."

"Why didn't you come to me," Sharlotte asked. "You know you can trust me, right?"

"I was just afraid that…you'd go to the principal."

"I have to, Noah. This can't go on."

The little boy nodded again and looked up at his aunt, "And I wasn't mad at you, Aunt Sharlotte. I promise." He hugged her again then. "I just didn't want you to see me this way."

"I know, baby. I hate seeing you like this. I can't handle you being hurt." She looked at his face again and secretly seethed in anger. "Come on, let's go to the bathroom and get you cleaned up and doctored."

She led the boy into his bathroom, and grabbed the first-aid kit from the cabinet and laid out the things she needed to treat his cut and bruises.

"Should we let Mom know about all this," Noah asked as Sharlotte placed a peroxide-soaked cotton ball to his lip and gently dabbed at the cut.

She sighed, deep in thought. "I may be making a bad decision, but my gut is telling me no. I think we should wait till tomorrow sometime. Which reminds me…you will have to be completely quiet in the morning when your mom comes in. She'll go directly to bed, but still, you'll have to be very quiet till we can get out of the house."

"I will."

She smiled softly, and kissed his forehead. "I think you're good to go. Try not to worry about all of this, okay, Noah? I'll take care of it."

"I know," Noah managed a small smile in return, and then returned to his room to work on his homework.

 _God please help me to not let him down,_ Sharlotte prayed as she put away the first-aid kit.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

"Principal Jones, I'm going to make myself very clear," Sharlotte spoke distinctly into the phone the next morning as she slipped on her sneakers. "I'm tired of this. Noah came home with a second black eye and scratches on his face yesterday. He informed me that he's been verbally bullied non-stop since after his suspension, and he also told me the bullies have been hitting him in places clothes will hide so adults won't see the bruises. And Noah's too scared to tell _you_ about it because he doesn't want to get suspended again."

" _Well, Miss Taylor, I'm terribly sorry. I really am. But if Noah doesn't come to me with these issues, I have no idea when and if it's happening. Therefore, I can't really do anything_."

"Did you not hear me? He didn't come to you because he's sure you'd suspend him again! This is _your_ fault, not his!"

" _Please inform Noah that in the future he should come to me. Nothing can be done if he doesn't keep me informed_."

Afraid she was about to say a few things she shouldn't, Sharlotte fought to check her temper.

"Oh, something can be done all right," her tone became venomous. "If you don't take care of the situation, I'll go public with it."

" _Meaning_?"

Sharlotte smiled when she heard the slight sound of worry in his tone. "Have you heard of the _Be A Star_ alliance?"

" _I'm sorry…The what_?"

"The _Be A Star_ alliance. It's an anti-bullying campaign co-founded by The Creative coalition and World Wrestling Entertainment. And I happen to know someone who's very involved in the organization. He's already told me all I'll have to do is ask for his help. I'd hate to put Noah in the media's spotlight when he's so self-conscious already, but I will if I have to. Mark my words."

" _Now, Miss Taylor, there's no need for all of that. I'm sure we can get the matter under control_."

"Yes, you're right about that," Sharlotte said, a definite threat in her words. "If I see my nephew come home with one more bruise, I'll contact my friend and begin publicizing this through Be A Star—as well as the news media." She kept talking, leaving the principal no room to argue. "Now, I'm taking Noah to the doctor today to get him checked over. If I discover he has any broken bones, sprains, or any debilitating injuries, I will go ahead with said actions, and I'll also contact the authorities to see what my options would be in pressing charges against the parents for negligence."

" _Will Noah be in for any of his classes today_ ," the principal asked warily.

"No," Sharlotte answered without hesitation. "He won't. He's earned one day without any problems. I also need you to excuse his absences from yesterday. Goodbye Mr. Jones."

With that, she disconnected the call and looked in the mirror above her vanity and took a last glance at her blue baby doll tee shirt and faded jeans. Quickly, she brushed her long golden hair and secured it into a low, side pony-tail that draped heavily over her shoulder. Then she headed across the hall to Noah's room to make sure he was ready to leave. She lightly knocked on the door and he opened it a second later, careful to stay quiet and not wake his mother.

"Ready," Sharlotte asked in a whisper. At his nod, they quietly headed down the stairs and out the front door. Even though Julie's room was further down the hall, they didn't want to wake her and slam her with Noah's newest troubles when she'd only been asleep less than two hours. Seconds later, they were in Sharlotte's car and fastening their seat belts.

"So what did Mr. Jones say," Noah asked, glancing over at his aunt.

"Not much," she answered honestly. She stared the car and elaborated. "He says you need to go to him when the bullies attack you. Duh. You would if you were able to trust him. Ignorant man." Pulling out into the street, she had the strongest urge to tell him about the _Be A Star_ alliance being a possibility in aiding him. But to do that, she would have to tell him about her conversations with John Cena. And she didn't know if he'd be able to keep it quiet. Still, the temptation to ease his worries outweighed the risk of _her_ worries.

 _And since John made it clear he didn't mind my talking about our conversations anyway_ …

In the next few minutes, she was pulling into McDonald's and parked the car. She killed the engine, and upon seeing the heartbreaking look of dejection on her nephew's face, she decided she'd tell him.

A short while later, they were sitting down at a corner booth with their breakfast, and Sharlotte scooped up a spoonful of her oatmeal. "Noah, I don't want you to worry, okay?"

Her nephew nodded, but did not look convinced as he took a bite of his hash browns. His blue eyes were dull and circled with dark shadows underneath them.

"I promise, it'll be okay. I need to tell you how I know, but I need you to promise me something first."

"Okay," Noah said softly, giving her his full attention. "What is it?"

"I need you to promise you will not tell one soul what I'm about to tell you. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," Noah nodded. "I promise."

"I've been talking to John Cena on Twitter, and on the phone."

"WHAT?!"

"Shhh!" Sharlotte couldn't help laughing as she covered his mouth. "I know how that sounds. I still can't believe it myself. I think we have become friends. That sounds even crazier doesn't it?"

"No, not crazy. Just…Wow…"

She laughed again. "I know. Anyway, I talked about your bullying situation a little bit, and he told me if we needed his help, to let him know and he'd talk to the principal and get the _Be A Star_ alliance involved. So, I threatened Mr. Jones with it, and I think I've gotten through to him now. But if you still have problems, do not hesitate to tell me, okay?"

"John Cena will help me," Noah asked in amazement. For the first time in what seemed like forever, his eyes lit up with life again.

Sharlotte smiled and nodded. "Yes. He promised."

Noah smiled from ear to ear. "I can't believe it!"

"Me either," she grinned even bigger. "But, eat your breakfast. We need to go get your cell phone. Then we'll be off to your doctor's appointment."

"Are you sure it'll be okay with the school to have a cell phone? And with Mom?"

"It'll be fine. Don't worry. But for now, don't say anything about it to anyone. Okay? If there's any heat for it from anybody, I'll step into the fire for you, got it?"

Noah nodded and bit into his Egg, Ham and Cheese McMuffin. When he swallowed the bite of food, he looked up at his aunt.

"Thank you, Aunt Sharlotte," he said softly. "For everything."

"Oh, you," Sharlotte smiled and leaned over, kissing the top of his head. "You're welcome. I'd do anything for you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah," Noah smiled his brightest smile and hugged her. "And I'd do anything for you, too."

"I know you would, kiddo. Now, eat up."

For the next few minutes they finished their breakfast, then left and headed for the cell phone store.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.

 

_**Chapter 11** _

 

 

"Remember, the sales people will try to sale us a really elaborate phone, but I can only afford a basic one, so don't get all excited when they pull out an iPhone, okay," Sharlotte cautioned Noah as they entered the cell phone store. She immediately saw a sales lady heading toward them.

"Okay," Noah agreed. "I'm fine with just a tracfone, really."

"Well, I can do a bit better than that," Sharlotte smiled as they neared the sales woman. "I want to be sure you have a reliable phone and plan."

"Hello, I'm Susan," greeted the slightly older brunette sales woman as she indicated her name tag. "How can I help you today?"

Sharlotte put her hand on Noah's shoulder. "We need a _somewhat_ basic cell phone for my nephew to use in an emergency, in the price range of about fifty to a hundred dollars."

"Are you sure you wouldn't like something a bit more… _state-of-the-art_ ," Susan chuckled almost condescendingly.

Sharlotte was prepared for the snobby attitude and returned the rude behavior with a fake smile. "Yes, I'm _very_ sure. I am on a meager budget and I believe the newest iPhone is extremely out of my league. I'm thinking a Smartphone."

"Yes, ma'am," Susan replied, her face flushing slightly at being put in her place. "I believe I have some Smartphones in the back. Give me a moment." She then went through a door and disappeared.

 _Ding-Ding-Ding_!

Sharlotte jumped as her phone alerted her to a text from John. Quickly, she fished the phone out of her purse and read the text message.

" _At work?_ "

Smiling, she texted him back.

" _Nope. Call me if you want. :-)"_

A few seconds later, her phone rang. She couldn't help the quick little giggle which escaped her lips as she pushed the button to answer the call.

Noah gave her a funny look.

"Hi!"

" _Hi, beautiful_ ," she heard John say. " _What are you up to_?"

She nearly gasped at his calling her "beautiful", but quickly decided he probably called _all_ of his female friends some similar name like that. "Helping my nephew play hooky, and getting him a cell phone. What about you?"

" _Not much going on right now. Just about to go for a run, but wanted to hear your voice first_."

"Really?"

" _Yeah. Really."_ Sharlotte could hear a smile in his voice. " _I was also wondering…Do you use Skype_?"

Her breath caught in her throat at the thought of actually seeing John as she spoke with him. "Y-yeah…I do sometimes."

"How about we add each other as contacts, and we could actually see each other when we talk?"

"I'd…I'd _love_ that," Sharlotte smiled happily as she glanced over at Noah. He had a strange look on his face, as if he was wondering why she looked and sounded so giddy.

" _Great. So would I_ ," John told her. " _I'll text my ID to you later_."

"Okay, and I'll send you mine."

" _Looking forward to it_."

"Me too," Sharlotte smiled dreamily and nervously fiddled with her watch.

" _Okay, well I'd better go. Talk to you later_."

"Okay, talk to you later," Sharlotte agreed, as she saw Susan returning from the stock room. She disconnected the call and turned her attention back to the sales lady.

"Here we are," Susan said, setting a few different colors of the Smartphones on her counter. "Do you like a particular color, hon," she asked Noah.

"I like the green," Noah said, pointing at one of the phones designed in green camouflage.

"Okay, now that _that_ ' _s_ settled, let's figure out a phone plan," Sharlotte said, ruffling Noah's brown hair.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

"Okay, Noah," Dr. Chandler said, after looking through the boy's x-rays. "I see no fractures of any kind, and no signs of concussion. Just some bad bruising. I recommend getting some rest today, and using ibuprofen for any pain."

"So he's okay," Sharlotte asked with relief. She had worried the boy would have some sort of fracture or head injury.

"He's absolutely fine," Doctor Chandler smiled. "Will you need a note to take to his principal?"

"Yes, please," she answered. "And can I pick up a copy of the x-rays and record of this visit?"

"Yes, of course," the doctor replied. "Is it for your own records, or for legal action?"

"For now, just my own records. I'm hoping it won't come to my needing to take legal action."

"Well, if it does, I'll be happy to get involved. I can attest to Noah's bruising, and I'm of course willing to testify on his behalf should I need to."

"Thank you so much, Doctor Chandler. I really appreciate this," Sharlotte smiled kindly as she patted Noah on the back. "I'm so glad he's okay and that he wasn't seriously injured."

The doctor returned her smile and began washing his hands at the examination room's little sink. "I'm happy to help. If you have any more problems be sure and bring him here and let me check him over." Sharlotte nodded and he added, "You should be able to pick up the copy of the x-rays and visit record in a couple days. Other than that, you two are good to go."

"Alright, thanks again," she said, standing and picking up her handbag.

"No problem at all. Bye, Noah. Take care, Sharlotte."

"Bye, Doctor Chandler," Noah smiled and left the room behind his aunt.

As they headed out to the car, Sharlotte proposed they eat lunch since the x-rays had taken a while to get developed and read. A short while later, they were seated at Noah's favorite pizza parlor and sharing a medium pepperoni pizza with extra cheese.

"Today was so much fun," Noah said, smiling. "I wasn't happy about going to see the doctor, but the appointment wasn't bad at all," he bit off another piece of his pizza and continued. "It's so nice having a day free of bullies."

Sharlotte swallowed past some tears, and stroked Noah's hair back. "I'm glad you've had fun. I did too. And I'm glad you've not worried today. I just wish I could make all your problems go away with a snap of my fingers. But even though I can't, I will work hard to make the bullying stop. I promise."

Noah nodded. "I know. Don't worry, Aunt Sharlotte. I'll be okay."

She smiled warmly. "I know you will. You're a strong kid. Stronger than you know." She forced a bravery in her words she did not feel. She loved her nephew more than life itself, but there was only so strong a nine-year-old could be. She couldn't shake the fear she was next to powerless in his battle.

They finished their lunch, and—spur of the moment—Sharlotte decided to stop at the mall and to buy Noah the newest WWE video game. She knew he'd been dying to play it since he first saw the advertisement on television, but they didn't have the funds for such frivolous purchases.

 _Except_ , Sharlotte thought, _the little bit of money I was saving for that dress I wanted._

The dress was a beauty too. It was ankle-length, and had different shades of red swirling throughout the silky material. The front had a keyhole neckline and the back had crisscrossed straps. What Sharlotte liked most about the garment was, it could be a casual dress for work if donned with a feminine blazer or bolero, and it could also be a great holiday party dress.

 _But, I can always save up for it again,_ she thought, _or even decide on another dress if I have to._ _Noah needs a little spoiling. He's had it so rough for the past few weeks._

Wordlessly, she pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the mall.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Tired, though happy she was able to give Noah just one good day, Sharlotte unlocked the front door and they both entered the house quietly. It felt as though they'd been gone all day long, but it was only 1:30 in the afternoon.

"Be sure and keep the volume down on the game for now," Sharlotte said quietly as they both headed for the stairs. "I know we're taking a stand on the wrestling but I don't think it would be wise to wake her up to a wrestling video game just yet."

"Okay. Thanks so much, Aunt Sharlotte," the boy exclaimed, hugging her tightly. "I can't believe you bought it for me! It's not even my birthday!"

Sharlotte chuckled and returned his hug, "Well, what are aunts for if not for spoiling?" At his smile, she ruffled his hair. "Go on and play your game. Enjoy!"

With that, Noah hurried up the stairs and headed into his room. Sharlotte too, headed up to her room to check if John had messaged her yet. She booted up her laptop before she pulled off her shoes and opted for a light pair of flip flops. Then she was sitting at her desk and logging on to Twitter. Sure enough, John had sent her a direct message with his Skype ID about an hour earlier. Quickly, she logged into her account and typed his ID into the "Add A Contact" box, and sent him a contact request. She had pulled up Facebook in a new tab when she got an alert that John had accepted her request. Then the next thing she knew a Skype window popped up and John was greeting her.

"Hey gorgeous!"

She felt her face burning and managed a shy smile, trying to hide the fact that she was a nervous wreck.

"Hey you," she greeted back. "How are you?"

"Doing great," John answered, smiling ear to ear. "And I'm glad I finally get to actually see you rather than just a photo."

"Well, I'm glad to see you _and_ talk with you at the same time," Sharlotte said happily. "You're a sweetheart and I've really enjoyed our talks."

"So have I, Sharlotte," John returned with a flash of his dimples. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought he was blushing. "You've really helped me by just being there for me." He bashfully glanced downward and then continued. "I never thought when I tweeted you back for the first time, you'd be anything more than a fan just trying to show your support for me." His eyes met hers through the webcam then. "But you're a lot more than that. You've been a friend. You really have. A lot of the people I've been friends with for years haven't really asked me how I've been doing for quite a while. Cesaro's about the only one who's cared. And then I meet you online and have only known you for a few weeks and you've shown more concern than most of the people I call my friends."

"I'm so sorry," she said softly. "That must have made you feel so alone."

"A little bit, yeah," John admitted. "I didn't let my feelings be known, though. I've always tried to keep my private life private, and I tried not to discuss personal problems, but Cesaro really tried to get me to open up one night. When I did…"

"I think I can figure out what happened," Sharlotte interrupted. "You confided to Cesaro, and were overheard by someone who gossiped about your problems, and word got back to Dwayne Johnson who decided to use it against you in his promos."

John froze for an instant, and she thought either Skype spazzed out, or she was out of line.

"I'm sorry," she said worriedly. "I didn't mean to bring up a bad situation with a co-worker. I just felt-"

John shook his head. "No, Sharlotte. Don't be sorry. I'm not mad or upset. I'm just amazed. You totally…you hit the nail on the head. Only it wasn't that someone gossiped and the information got back to Dwayne. Dwayne is actually the one who overheard it."

"Oh, wow," she replied, shaking her head. "So, was he spying? Or did he just sort of hear by accident?"

"Eh, I'm not sure. I didn't mind so much that he'd heard. It was the fact he decided to work it into his promos for the whole world to hear. I mean, no one really knew Jasmine and I was having problems, so they probably just took it that Dwayne was only cracking jokes. But then news of our breakup came out, and while I don't usually care what people think…"

"You didn't want to look like a cheater," Sharlotte interjected.

"Exactly," John nodded. "People can say what they want about my gimmick, wrestling skills or my acting. And I don't let it bother me. But at the end of the day I hate being portrayed as something I'm not, in reality."

"Well, for the record, you've never struck me as the cheating type," she told him. "I sort of felt like…" She halted suddenly, not wanting to insult the woman whom John had loved at one time.

"What? What is it," John asked.

Sharlotte shook her head. "I can't. It's none of my business."

"Okay, now you know you can't say something like that, and then expect me to forget it, right?"

She slumped. "Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you."

"Fair enough. Hit me with it."

"I just… I always kind of had the feeling _Jasmine_ would be more likely to cheat, than you."

To her surprise, a smile threatened to spread across John's handsome face.

"Okay, I didn't expect that response," Sharlotte chuckled nervously.

John shrugged slightly. "I like your honesty."

He looked as though he wanted to add more to his statement, but he apparently lost his nerve. Before she could coax him to talk more about it, there was a knock at her door.

"Yeah," she called out.

"Aunt Sharlotte…Can I come in," came the reply. "I wanted to tell you about the game!"

Sharlotte smiled and looked back at John. "Would you like to meet my nephew?"

John grinned back. "I'd love to."

Her smile broadened and she invited Noah to come in. A second later, her bedroom door opened and Noah stepped inside.

"Come here, kiddo," Sharlotte said to him. "There's someone I want you to meet."

Puzzled, Noah approached her and looked at the screen on her laptop.

"Oh, wow! John Cena!"

John laughed and gave Noah a salute. "Hi, Noah. I've heard quite a bit about you."

"You have?"

"Yep. I hear you're quite the wrestling fan, and I also heard you're a great kid."

Noah looked over at Sharlotte and grinned from ear to ear, then returned his gaze to John. "I've watched wrestling for as long as I can remember," he said. "You're my favorite!"

"Well, thank you Noah," John said. "I'm truly blessed to have fans like you."

Noah started to reply when the land line phone in Sharlotte's room rang.

"Shoot, I need to get that before it wakes Julie. Back in a minute," she told John. Then she hurried to her bed-side table and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

" _If you cause any more trouble_ , _expect to pay the consequences_ , _"_ came a rasped threat.

"What? Who is this," she asked, her voice trembling. What with having a great day with her nephew, she wasn't prepared for the sudden turn of events. She was aware of Noah and John's chatter hushing to silence, and she knew they'd caught the nervousness in her voice.

" _You'll find out who I am soon enough, if you don't do as I say."_

 _It's the same man who called and asked about Noah enjoying his black eye_ , she realized. _"_ Leave me alone," Sharlotte said firmly and hung up before giving the caller a chance to reply. Then, trying to hide her apprehension she sat back down at her desk and glanced over at her nephew. "Noah, I need you to go play your game or watch TV, okay? I need to talk to John in private."

"Is everything okay, Aunt Sharlotte," the boy asked.

She nodded and patted his head. "Everything's fine. It's just a wrong number, don't worry. And try not to wake your mom, okay?"

Noah nodded and looked regretfully back at John. "Bye, John. It was awesome to meet you!"

John smiled back at him and waved, though Sharlotte caught the look of concern on his face a split second before. "It was awesome to meet you too, kiddo. How about we talk again soon?"

"All right! That'd be great!" Excited, he reached over and kissed Sharlotte's cheek. "This has been the best day ever!"

Sharlotte hugged him close and kissed the top of his head. "I'm glad, baby. I'm really glad."

Noah turned and left the room then, and she faced John once the door closed behind her nephew.

"What's happened?"

John's face was now devoid of any humor or lightheartedness. He seemed to be able to read her as well as she read him.

Sharlotte hesitated, not sure she should lay it all on him when they'd only known each other for a few days. But she didn't know what else to do.

"Sharlotte, come on," he insisted. "I confided in you and _trusted_ you, now it's your turn to trust _me_."

"I know, but it's just…I don't feel right burdening you with it."

"What are friends for," he countered. "I know we've not gotten to talk much and _really_ get to know stuff about each other, but we have a connection. And you know it. Now, I heard your side of the conversation. And I saw you on the phone. You looked scared…are you being threatened?"

Reluctantly, she nodded.

"And it's about Noah, isn't it?"

Again, she nodded.

"Tell me what the person said to you."

She took a deep breath and met his gaze.

"This morning, I threatened Noah's principal—with going to the Be A Star alliance, and the news media. I also said I'd look into pressing whatever charges I could against the parents. And just now, a guy told me if I cause any more trouble I'd better be prepared to pay the consequences."

"You asked who he was…What did he say to that," John asked. His face was so intent she could have sworn he was filing the details away in a mental file cabinet.

Sharlotte rubbed her temples as she felt the beginnings of another bad headache. "He said I'd find out if I didn't do as he said."

"Okay," John nodded. "I'm going to call Stephanie McMahon. She's more involved with _Be A Star_ than Vince is, and I'm sure I can get her help and advice. I'm going to let her know what's going on, and we'll figure out how to approach this. Don't say another word to anyone about any publicity or pressing charges. No one, okay?"

Sharlotte nodded. "I won't."

"Good. Let whoever threatened you think they scared you off. Then, once we get this on the news and all over , they'll be highly unlikely to do anything because they'll be afraid of being caught."

She nodded again. "Makes sense. Since they're being a coward in trying to frighten me, stands to reason they don't really want to do anything. They're hoping I'll back down."

"Right," John said. "So let them think you are. I'd call the principal myself, but that may just cause more trouble. I think you should lie as low as possible till we get a solution on the roll."

"Thanks," Sharlotte smiled softly. "Thanks for helping me not to panic."

"Don't worry," John smiled back. "It will be okay. Now you need to be prepared for interviews, and a lot of media coverage."

"I know. We can handle it."

"You've got a great nephew," John said, lightening the subject. "He loves you very much."

Sharlotte nodded happily. "Yes, and I love him very much in return. I hate that he's even got to go back to that horrible school. I wish he could go to a better one."

"Is there not another one he can attend?"

"There's another elementary school, but it's even more notorious for bullying. And I shudder to think about him going to the middle school in a few years. The place is a nightmare. And the high school is even worse, if you can believe it. There's a private school near here that I'd love for him to attend. It's a Christian school for grades K through twelve, and I've heard nothing but good things about it. It's an amazing school, but its cost is pretty amazing too."

"Yeah, I know. I went to a private boarding school for my high school years, and it was pretty pricey."

Sharlotte nodded. "It's a shame too. Though if it were free or even affordable, I suppose the private schools would be over-filled." She sighed softly. "Maybe if _Be A Star_ can do something, Noah won't have as hard a time at school though."

"Try not to worry, Sharlotte," John told her gently. "Just keep your chin up, and remember what you showed me: _And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us_."

She smiled. "You memorized it!"

John nodded and flashed his dimples at her. "Yeah, I did. They were helpful words, and I want to remember them."

"I'm glad," she said softly. "They're wise words to live by."

John smiled and nodded in agreement, but then said regretfully, "I probably should get off here for a while and try getting a hold of Steph. Okay? I'll try to reach you later and let you know what I find out."

"Okay. Thank you so much, John. You don't know what this means to me. And to Noah."

"I'm glad to help in any way I can," he replied sincerely. "I'll talk to you after a while."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye sweetheart."

Sharlotte closed out her Skype and sat for a moment, deep in thought.

"God, please help me. I think I could fall in love with John Cena."

And she had a feeling nothing but heartache would come of that.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Adult themes

 

_**Chapter 12** _

 

 

John went through his contacts list on his cell phone, and highlighted Stephanie McMahon's number, tapping the "Call" icon. It rang only twice before his boss' daughter answered.

" _Stephanie McMahon_ ," came her authoritative voice.

"Steph, hey, it's Cena…Are you free to talk for a few minutes?"

" _Sure, John_. _Is something wrong_?"

"Well, yes, but not with me. I have a friend whose nephew is being bullied— _horribly_ bullied, actually. And since we're aligned with the Creative Coalition, I'm hoping we can do something to help make the situation better."

" _We certainly can try_ ," Stephanie said, her full attention now on the conversation.

Much of her time as of late was dedicated to publicizing the _Be A Star Alliance_. She had three daughters of her own, and she could only imagine how she would feel if one or all of them were being bullied. So, she tried to do her part in helping to eliminate bullying all together. " _Tell me more about what's going on. Who and where's this friend_? _Would they mind some media coverage_ — _maybe some interviews_?"

"Her name is Sharlotte Taylor, and she's in Tallahassee," John said. "Her nephew's name is Noah Taylor. No, she wouldn't mind media coverage or interviews. I'd already asked her and she said it would be okay. She just wants her nephew to be left alone."

Stephanie sighed before replying. " _Yes, I can only imagine. This bullying crap is so frustrating. How's the boy?_ "

"He seems to be in pretty good spirits despite everything going on. But I saw him on webcam today and I could actually see he had a black eye, and some other bruises and cuts on his face too."

" _Oh, my God_ ," Stephanie said. " _That_ _sounds_ really _bad_. _Please tell your friend when you speak to her next, that we'll help her get a good attorney should she need to take legal action. She'd need great representation_."

John nodded as he answered, "I will definitely tell her. However, I've told her to keep quiet about publicity or getting authorities involved—for now. She threatened the school principal with it, and she is already receiving anonymous threats. I think it's best to keep quiet about all that till this gets on TV."

" _Yes, you're probably right_. _Okay, so how about we set up an interview between Sharlotte and our reporters…and we could see if the school would allow some of the roster to visit the school and have a rally to help encourage the kids to not bully, as well as letting those whom_ are _being bullied know there are people they can turn to for help_.

"Sounds great," John said, running his hand over the back of his neck. "Do you think we could get some reporters out there in the next few days?"

" _Of course_ ," Stephanie said, " _As soon as possible, actually. Can you find out if Monday would be okay with her_?"

"Yeah, I'm going to call her a little later and I'll make sure. I'll get right back to you as soon as I check with her."

" _Also, find out what school the boy goes to_ ," Stephanie added. " _Then I can contact the superintendent and principal about setting up a visit to the school_."

"Will do," John replied. "Thanks a lot, Steph. I owe ya."

" _Not a problem_ ," she told him. " _I'm glad to help_."

They said goodbye and John disconnected the call, but as soon as he hung up, his phone was ringing. Wishing it was Sharlotte calling him, he looked at the phone's screen. Disappointment set in when he discovered Cesaro was calling him instead.

It wasn't that he was bummed to hear from his friend. It was just that he got to see Cesaro frequently—with the exception of the past few days—but he was yet to see Sharlotte in person. He shook his head in amazement when he realized he thought of her more and more each day—a woman whom he'd never met.

Finally, realizing he was leaving Cesaro hanging, he answered the call.

"Hey, brother…what's up?"

" _Not too much_ ," came Cesaro's answer. " _I'm just about to take Cassandra and Alli out for a day at the zoo. I just wanted to check in with you and see how you're doing, first. What with our crazy schedules, we've not really got to hang out or anything. How are things with Jasmine_?"

"Eh, about as good as I expected it to," John answered, rolling his eyes. "She of course threw some tantrums, and is now trying to drive me crazy because of a friend I made on Twitter."

" _Ah_ … _A female friend, I assume_?"

John chuckled, "Yeah, you assume correctly."

" _John, be careful_ ," Cesaro cautioned. " _I know I used to be pretty reckless when it came to women, but looking back, I know how many potential disasters I sat myself up for_."

"Don't worry, Cesaro," John said. "She's just a friend." _I think_ , he added to himself. "And besides, I thought _you_ needed to be cautious of Cassandra at one time. But she really surprised me."

Cesaro sounded almost smug when he said, " _I knew she would. She's who I'm meant to be with_."

"Right," John agreed. "And like I said, Sharlotte's...a friend. But… _if_ something happens and our friendship turns into something more, you can relax. Because Sharlotte's different. I can tell. And you can rest assured I'll be very careful regardless. I'm not going to let myself go through 'Jasmine 2.0'."

" _Okay_ ," Cesaro said. " _Fair enough. So, is Jasmine making this Sharlotte's life a living hell,_ " he asked knowingly.

"She made an attempt," John admitted, "But I put a stop to it. I had a recording of her in bed with a guy, and told her if she bothered Sharlotte at all, I'd use it to destroy her."

" _Nice_ ," Cesaro said, clearly impressed. " _How did she take your recording her_?"

John laughed, "How do you _think_ she took it? She was livid. You should have seen her when I broke up with her and served her with an eviction notice. Oh, and the winner is when I told her Sharlotte and I were having phone sex!"

" _You obviously love to live dangerously_ ," Cesaro laughed.

"Oh, yeah," John jokingly agreed. "Danger's where I thrive." He heard little Alli giggling and yelling in the background then. "Sounds like your little one's ready to see some animals," he commented.

" _Yeah, I'd better get off here and get her in the car_ ," Cesaro agreed. " _She's laughing now, but if I don't get in a hurry, she can have a temper tantrum in the blink of an eye_."

"She's already got you wrapped around her pinky, bro," John laughed. "You're so in for it when she gets older."

" _Ugh, I shudder to think_ ," Cesaro laughed. " _Well, I gotta go. Talk to you later_."

"Later," John said, and then disconnected as he heard Alli let loose with a high-pitched squeal. Shaking his head and chuckling, he didn't envy Cesaro at that particular moment.

He couldn't imagine being a father. Not that he wouldn't love having a kid or two, but he had no idea how he'd manage to be there for them while he was so dedicated to his job. He was just thankful Jasmine hadn't wound up pregnant. The breakup would've really gotten ugly then. And she would've used the baby as leverage just to keep her hooks in him.

For just a brief moment, despite all he'd been through, John felt a surge of wistfulness—for what _could_ have been. But he wouldn't let himself think on it for too long. Despite how he acted, it truly did hurt to have loved someone who'd apparently thought nothing of him.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

A while later, John had finished some weight-lifting, and grabbed a quick shower.

Scrubbing a towel over his head and across his muscular chest, he headed out of the bathroom and went into his bedroom, quickly pulling some jeans on over his boxers. Then he flopped across his bed and grabbed his cell phone from his night table. Highlighting Sharlotte's name in his contacts, he tapped the "Call" Icon. Within seconds, he heard her soft voice greeting him mingled with the sounds of wrestling in the background.

" _Hi, John_."

He grinned at hearing the smile in her voice, and started to greet her in return, when she spoke again.

" _Hang on just a second_ ," she chuckled. " _Noah, turn the TV down a little, okay_? _I can't hear_."

The roar of the wrestling's audience lowered considerably, and then Sharlotte was speaking to him again, " _Sorry about that. Noah and I were watching TNA. How are you_ ," she asked him.

"Doing great," John answered. "Should I call back when TNA goes off," he asked. "I don't want to make you miss it."

" _Oh, no it's not a problem_ ," Sharlotte replied. " _I can multi-task. I was actually reading a book and listening to the matches_."

"Oh, so you're a reader, huh? What book are ya reading?"

" _Yep, I'm a total book worm_ ," she joked. " _And the book is_ The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."

"Ah, is that the one that's been made into a movie? The one with Daniel Craig?"

" _Yes_ ," Sharlotte answered. " _The movie looked really good, so I decided to read the books. There are actually three of them. And they are seriously long_ ," she exclaimed. " _They're not my typical kind of reading, but so far this first book's been pretty interesting_."

"What do you normally choose to read?"

" _Well…all kinds of things, really. I love some classics like Jane Austen's_ Sense and Sensibility, _and Charles Dicken's_ Great Expectations _. I enjoy spiritual and inspirational novels. I absolutely love romances, and even some young adult novels. My guilty pleasure was the_ Twilight Saga _and the_ Harry Potter _books_."

John laughed. "You really _are_ a book worm, huh?"

" _I told ya_ ," she warned teasingly. " _So do you do any reading_? _Or do you not have much time for that_?"

"Generally, I don't have much time for it. But when I can, I love anything to do with cars, sports, the military, or history."

" _I like reading about certain events in history, but try as I might, I could not enjoy history in school. I never could get better than a B in any of my history classes_."

"Well, it's not for everybody," John said. "Everyone is different. We don't all like the same things. For instance, I hated math."

" _And I_ loved _math_ ," Sharlotte laughed. " _I always kept a ninety-five average or above in algebra_."

"Show-off," John jokingly scolded.

" _Well, if it makes you feel better, I only got a B in geometry_ ," she teased. "And _it was a 'pity' B at that. My teacher knew I was really trying to understand, but I just wasn't fully getting it_. _Geometry's one side of math I loathe_."

"You and me both," John chuckled.

" _So…do you have time to Skype_?"

"For you? Of course," John answered, getting off his bed and going over to his desk. He heard Sharlotte giggle and then pushed the power button on his laptop. There was the sound of footsteps, and John figured she was heading for her computer as well. "Just let me boot up my laptop. I _could_ use this cell phone, but my laptop screen is bigger and I want to see you better."

" _Okay, be warned_ ," Sharlotte joked. " _It's been a long day_. _I'm a mess by now._ "

John scoffed. "Now, I find that hard to believe," he said, logging into his Skype account with his free hand.

" _No seriously_ ," she laughed. " _My hair is up in a messy bun, no makeup, tank top and shorts. Honest. I am a far cry from how I looked earlier_."

"Still…the mental image is sexy to _me_ ," John disagreed as he initiated a call to Sharlotte through Skype. He smiled at the silence from her end. "I can actually _hear_ you blushing."

" _I am not_!"

"Liar," John teased.

" _Oh, you're call's coming through_ ," Sharlotte said. " _Hang on a sec_."

In the next instant, she was on his screen smiling at him.

John took in her slightly disheveled appearance and smiled, flashing his dimples at her. "And you look as sexy as I imagined. I'm glad you brought up Skyping! It was a really great idea," John flirted.

"Stop it," Sharlotte giggled. A fresh blush crept up her porcelain skin. "I look a fright, and you know it."

John shook his head as he gazed at her small frame. Her pink tank top was spaghetti-strapped and emphasized the slender curve of her neck. His eyes fell lower, gazing at her subtle cleavage, and he couldn't help wondering what sort of sounds she would make if he cupped her breasts in his hands. The mere thought had him growing hard.

"John?"

He was yanked from his thoughts when Sharlotte said his name. He shifted his gaze back up to her face and caught the look of concern in her eyes.

"Are you okay," she asked. "You seemed a little…"

John felt his face burning, and saw her grin then.

"Well, John Cena…Now I believe it's _you_ who's blushing."

"And you'd be blushing _again_ , if you knew what was going through my mind," John shot back with a slight raise of an eyebrow as he gave her body a slow and exaggerated perusal. At her gasp, he could not stop the laugh that erupted in his throat.

"Oh, honestly," Sharlotte cried indignantly, though John could see she wasn't truly angry. Her hand rose self-consciously to her neck in a nervous gesture and she avoided his gaze then.

John jokingly groaned. "You're killing me here! Don't get shy. Come on, I'm only human."

Sharlotte shyly glanced downward as she lowered her hand, "I'm just not…used to that kind of attention."

"Why not," John asked, genuinely baffled. "Aren't there men in your town?"

"Of course," she chuckled. "I just haven't had time for a social life, what with work, taking care of Noah, and helping my sister keep up with house cleaning and any repairs that are needed. And church, when I'm occasionally able to go to services."

"Ah, I see," John said, his mental gears turning. "Well…do you ever get to do anything _socially_?"

She nodded chuckling, "Yep. Again, church and church functions when I can. And I'm socializing right now. Even if I do have a little time to do something social, I never really get invited to do anything because I'm not out much to begin with. It's a vicious circle," she explained. "Well, I take that back. I do stuff once in a while with my best friend, but it's usually just going to a movie or something like that."

"So…you don't date at all," John couldn't keep the note of hopefulness out of his voice. Nor could he figure out why it was there in the first place. The subject of dating should have been the last thing on his mind.

Sharlotte shook her head in answer, "No. I don't. I…don't really…get the chance to go out on dates." She didn't want to admit to the fact that she'd never dated anyone. At thirty years old, that was a bitter pill to swallow.

John could see the shame on her face, and he felt horrible that he was the reason for her embarrassment.

"Sharlotte, don't feel bad because of my question. I was just curious. You're a beautiful woman—inside and out. And…well, any man would be lucky to have you."

She smiled and flushed slightly. "Thank you, John."

"Just speaking the truth, beautiful. So, do you mind telling me how long it's been since your last _serious_ relationship?"

Her blush deepened and she avoided his eyes. "I've, uh..." she stalled. "I've not really had what you'd call a serious relationship."

John nearly swallowed his tongue.

"Seriously? I find that very hard to believe," he said genuinely.

Sharlotte laughed. "Well, it's true. I…didn't have a _normal_ childhood. And I guess I just didn't recover from it. I'm not shy around friends, but—as I'm sure you can see—I am a little timid around the opposite sex. When you…make flirty comments to me, I clam up. I mean, I like it," she prattled on, afraid he would stop his flirting altogether. "But I get all giggly like some dumb school girl, and-"

"Whoa, Sharlotte," John interrupted. "You're fine, don't worry about it," he told her. "I find your giggly nature cute. I can see you also have intelligence, so it definitely doesn't bother me. Don't sweat it."

She nodded and chuckled nervously. "Okay."

"Why didn't you have a normal childhood," he asked. "Was it due to abuse or something like that?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Sharlotte answered immediately. "I was…an athlete—a figure skater, to be exact," she explained. "That was the 'hobby' I've mentioned vaguely." She continued at seeing John's nod of recognition. "Anyway, I loved skating. It was…my life. But, my parents pushed me so hard, that it took up all my time. I had to fight to keep good grades in school. I wasn't getting much sleep or anything. And I'd mentioned yesterday on the phone that I was bullied due to my hobby, A.K.A. figure skating…so not having many friends made it difficult to develop social skills."

"Yeah, I can definitely see where all of that would prevent someone from having a normal childhood," John said. "So, you must have been pretty good at skating for your parents to push you so hard though, right?"

Sharlotte nodded, "Yes, I was… _very_ good at it." She blushed then, "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to toot my own horn or anything. It's just…skating...I thought it was my calling."

"So, what happened," John asked. "You keep referring to it in the past tense."

He saw her take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her figure skating career was obviously a painful subject. He could've sworn he saw her eyes welling up with tears.

"I was an…an Olympian," she confessed. "But my Olympic career was short-lived," she added quickly, seeing the awe enter John's eyes. She didn't want to make herself sound like a bigger deal than she was. "In 1998, I came in second at the United States Figure Skating Championships, right behind Tara Lipinski. I did really well on my short program—I was in the lead actually. And then my long program…well, I never got to perform it. I had a freak accident during one of my practices. My shoelace snapped free in the middle of a big jump. I fell to the ice and was knocked unconscious. I was out cold for two days. When I came to in the hospital, I was told I'd broken my ankle so severely that I'd never be able to skate competitively again. I wouldn't be capable of the jumps required."

"I'm…I'm so sorry," John said softly. He couldn't imagine what he'd do if he had a career-ending injury. "How did the lace…I mean… was the lace old? Maybe damaged or worn out?"

Sharlotte shook her head before replying. "No. It was brand new. I'd put it in only the night before. I think it was just defective."

"Was the accident investigated," John asked. "Could someone have tampered with it?"

He hated the thought of any person being cheated out of their career, but the thought of Sharlotte being hurt on purpose…It angered him.

"Oh, yes," Sharlotte nodded, "After Nancy Kerrigan's attack in 1994, and the skate issues with Tonya Harding in the same Olympics, it was definitely investigated. But officials couldn't find any evidence of foul play. It just…happened."

John nodded, "I remember all that stuff in '94. That was a crazy year for the winter games. I'm really sorry about your accident." He could see how much it still hurt her. "I didn't really keep up with the '98 games, but I think I vaguely remember hearing about you on the news."

"Yeah, it was covered on several news stations," Sharlotte said. "It seems just like it happened yesterday instead of fifteen years ago. I don't think the memory will ever fade."

"I know you can't do the jumps and stuff," John said, "but do you ever just skate for the fun of it?"

Sharlotte shook her head. "No, I can't bring myself to. I've not been on the ice since my injury. On one hand I want to try, but on the other…I'm scared, I guess."

"What if I was with you?"

He watched her face light up. He wasn't sure if it was the idea of getting to hang out with him, or the idea of being on the ice again.

"I couldn't expect you to risk breaking a leg on the ice just to help me overcome a fear," she said softly. "But thank you."

"Hey, I'm no fragile flower," John said. "Not many people know this, but I used to play ice-hockey when I was younger. I was a good skater too."

"Really?" Sharlotte's face broke into a big smile. "You can skate?"

"Yep. So, what do ya say? If I get to come up your way sometime, how about I take you skating?"

A hint of apprehension touched her eyes as she answered, "I'll think about it. It's stupid I know…but it's just something I've not faced I guess, and it's difficult-"

"I don't think it's stupid at all. You went through a really traumatic experience, let alone recovering from the injury itself."

Sharlotte nodded and managed a small smile. "You really are good at making me feel better, John Cena."

"Likewise," he returned softly. "I'm really glad I met you. Even though I've not gotten to see you in person. Yet."

"Yet," Sharlotte repeated. "So are you saying it's probable that we'll meet some day?"

John grinned, "Not 'probable'. _Definite_. And probably sooner than you think."

She returned his grin. "I can't wait."

"Neither can I." He paused then and exhaled, hating to bring up a sore subject. "I wanted to let you know that I talked to Stephanie McMahon earlier and she's eager to try and help you and Noah."

"Great," Sharlotte exclaimed. "What do I need to do?"

"Just be ready for some interviews on Monday," he answered. "And I need the name of Noah's school, and your home address."

"Okay, Noah's school is Kate Sullivan Elementary. And our address is 2307 Hudson Road." She watched as John wrote the information down. "So, how many people can I be expecting? I need to know how much food to prepare, and-"

"That won't be necessary Sharlotte," John said. "Don't go to any trouble. They'll only be there probably about an hour. Just long enough for you and Noah to talk about what's happened with the bullying. And that will be the time you'll want to talk about the threats made against you."

"Okay," Sharlotte nodded. "One way or the other, the bullying and threats _will_ stop."

John smiled appreciatively at her. "You are one tough young lady."

"Only where my loved ones are concerned," Sharlotte partially admitted. "I can put up with a lot, but mess with my sister, nephew or friends and Mama Bear comes out."

John chuckled, "I believe it."

"So…who will be coming to interview us? Reporters from WWE?"

John nodded. "Yeah to be exact. Most likely Michael Cole since he runs the website. And Steph will probably be there too."

Sharlotte's jaw dropped.

"Steph? As in Stephanie McMahon?"

John nodded again. "Don't be nervous. She's nothing like her gimmick. She's a really sweet person in reality."

"Oh, I'm not scared of her," Sharlotte laughed. "I just…am nervous. She's the CEO's daughter for crying out loud!"

"Don't worry. You'll like her. She wants to meet you guys and to go to Noah's school along with a couple of superstars to hold a rally against bullying."

"Oh wow, that's so awesome," Sharlotte said. "Thank you so much, for helping us out, John. I really-"

"NOAH TAYLOR! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Oh, no! I screwed up again," Sharlotte groaned, at hearing her sister's angry voice. "I have to go, John," she said hurriedly. "Can we talk maybe tomorrow?"

"Sure," John said, concern on his face. He noted how much paler she'd become. "Everything okay?"

She nodded, "It will be. So sorry. I'll explain it another time. Goodnight."

With that, she got up and ran from the room to do some damage control.

John watched her leave and reluctantly closed out of Skype.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Domestic violence (abuse to a child and adult)

 

_**Chapter 13** _

 

 

Sharlotte bounded down the stairs in a hurry, eager to save her nephew from a brutal tongue-lashing—a tongue-lashing which should have been reserved for her. She'd just made it to the landing when she heard Noah's anxious voice.

"Mom, I'm sorry! I just—"

"You're _SO_ grounded! From EVERYthing," came Julie's furious voice.

Sharlotte shot into the living room, just as Julie drew her hand back at Noah and slapped him across the face. The little boy staggered to the side and fell to the floor, sobbing in pain.

"JULIE!" Sharlotte dove down to Noah so she could check him over. "How _dare_ you hit him!"

"I hate you," Noah cried from the floor. Tears of fury and pain streamed down his face. "I wish you weren't my mom!"

An almost maniacal gleam flashed in Julie's eyes as she took a threatening step toward the boy.

Sharlotte jumped to her feet and grabbed hold of Julie's drawn back wrist before she could strike the boy again. "Noah, get upstairs," she said calmly, still grasping her angry sister's arm despite the death glare she was receiving in return. "I'll be up to talk to you in a little bit." She saw the boy hesitate and look as though he feared she would punish him. "Don't worry, sweetheart. You're not in any trouble—none at all."

Noah nodded, not wanting to stick around for more of his mother's harsh, stinging slaps. Sobbing, he ran for the stairs and hurried up to his room.

When he was out of ear-shot, Julie cursed under her breath. "Who the hell do you think you are," she raged, her dark eyes flashing in fury.

Sharlotte turned back to her sister's face as Julie ripped her arm free. "What do you mean," she demanded. "You're abusing him! He's being bullied all the time at school, and then he's supposed to come home and deal with his own _mother_ bullying him too? What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with _me_ ," Julie repeated. "I lay down a rule that I don't want my son watching wrestling or having anything to do with the garbage, and then I see where he's been doing exactly that—behind my back!"

"Because I told him he could," Sharlotte shot back. "There's no reason why he shouldn't. You have a strange hatred for wrestling, Julie. You won't even tell us why you hate it, yet you expect us to hate it because you do. Well we don't. We love it, in fact. Noah wants to become a wrestler when he gets older, and I've told him I'll support him the whole way." She felt a sudden need to unleash all the secrets she'd hidden from her sister. "Since he's being bullied, I bought him a cell phone to call me with in an emergency. And, before I forget, we have some WWE reporters coming Monday to interview us because of the bullying situation at his school. Oh! And we've made friends with John Cena online." She saw Julie pale at the mention of John and knew she was going too far, but she had grown angry as well. It seemed like the perfect time to get everything out in the open. "What do you have to say to all that, I wonder," she finished. Her own eyes were glinting with anger now.

"Those aren't your decisions to make!" Julie burst out. Her eyes grew even angrier than before. "He's MY son, not yours!"

The comment stung, even though it was true. However, Julie was in no shape to be a mother when she was so angry.

" _I'm_ his mother," Julie continued. "If you want a kid to screw up, then go have one of your own!"

A tear spilled down Sharlotte's cheek. Her sister had never been so cold to her before.

"I…I can't believe you said that," she whispered, wiping at the tear.

"It's true," Julie growled. "You have no right to take my son!"

"Then be a mother to him," Sharlotte screamed in reply, her own temper tested past its limits. "You're _never_ there for him! You're either at work or in bed! I'm tired too, Julie! But I don't get to check out! I'm the one who has to feed Noah, I take him shopping for what he needs, and make sure he's taken care of! I keep this house up and running and you _dare_ tell me I'm 'taking your son'? If _I_ didn't take care of him, then who would, Julie?!"

 _SMACK_!

The back of Julie's hand connected loudly against the side of Sharlotte's face. A sharp sting burned at the corner of her mouth. Stunned, the younger sibling took a couple steps back and held her face as she stared at her sister in disbelief. She could feel blood trickling from her mouth.

"What are you going to do about it? Hit me back," Julie challenged, balling her fists. She was obviously preparing herself for a physical fight if it came to it.

Dazed, Sharlotte shook her head as more tears burned her eyes. "No. That would've never even crossed my mind. But it's good to know where _you_ stand on the subject. I don't think I even know you anymore. Maybe I never did. Goodnight, Julie." She started toward the stairs and then stopped, turning back to face her sister once more. "If you _ever_ hit Noah again like that..." Anger sparked once more in her gray eyes. "I'll not hesitate to call the police on you, Julie. I swear. And I will fight for custody of him. That little boy is going to know love in this family—not fear."

With that, she headed up the stairs and shuffled torpidly up to Noah's bedroom. Knocking lightly first, she opened the door to a darkened room.

"Noah?"

She heard snuffling followed by a choked sob, and the creaking of his bed. Then the boy was at the door and latched onto Sharlotte, hugging her tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Noah. I don't know what's happened to her," she told him, rubbing his back as she returned his hug. "But don't worry. I won't let her hurt you anymore. I'll not stand by and watch her…fall apart, and take it out on you."

His small frame shuddered with pained sobs. "When I was really little…I-I thought _y_ - _you_ were my mom," he confessed, sniffling through his words. "And n-now…I wish you w-were."

Sharlotte's eyes brimmed over with more stinging tears. She hated for him to feel that way about his mother. But she couldn't say as she blamed him at that precise moment. She had been more of a mother to Noah than Julie ever had, truth be told. It just never occurred to her that he'd recall, at such a young age, Sharlotte seeing to his care more than his own mother.

"Why don't you come into my room and finish TNA," she asked, trying to change the subject. "Keep me company?"

He nodded and followed her across the hall to her room. He flopped across the foot of her bed and watched as Sharlotte turned the television on to Spike TV. Then she went into her private bathroom and got a wet wash cloth to clean the cut at the corner of her mouth. Her face was now throbbing as she dabbed at the cut.

 _She must have had a ring on_ , she thought, wincing from the contact of the wash cloth. A tear spilled down her cheek again and she bit back a sob. W _hat has happened to my sister_ , she wondered.

Shaking her head in confusion, she wet down another wash cloth and exited the bathroom. She walked over to Noah and cleaned the tears from his face, tenderly blotting the wet cloth over his cheeks. "I'm going to go get you an ice-pack. I'll be right back."

Noah nodded as she left the room. She returned within minutes, and handed him the cold compress to hold on his cheek, as well as an ibuprofen and a glass of water. "This should help with pain," she said softly, running her hand lovingly over his head.

Then she stretched out length-wise on the bed adjacent to him as he applied the ice-pack, and they both tried to pay attention to the remaining matches on TNA. She couldn't seem to keep her mind on them however. She was too troubled by her sister's actions and harsh words.

The stress took its toll and her eyes grew heavy and soon she dozed off into a dreamless, restless sleep.  


}i{}i{}i{}i{  


John sat at his desk eating a late dinner of a cheese omelet with bacon, and scrolling through Youtube videos of Sharlotte's skating. He was amazed by her abilities. She rarely fell from a jump, no matter the number of revolutions. She was incredibly graceful too. It was like watching a dainty butterfly on ice. Taking another bite of egg, he watched her short program from the 1998 Olympics, and smiled at the happiness on her face. She was dressed in a vibrant blue costume that flowed gracefully down to her knees. She skated to Mozart's Lacrimosa, and she seemed to glow through the entire performance—as if the music, or the ice, or even both—set her free. The program was a beautiful mix of artistry and technical elements. He watched in awe as Sharlotte leaped and came dangerously close to performing a flawless quadruple toe-loop.

"One more quarter turn and she'd have done it," he thought out loud. He saw the thrill on her face as she realized what she'd almost achieved. It seemed to spur her on to the end of her program when she finished with an intense scratch spin. She ended it with a sudden stop and her arms poised over her head. She held the pose for a moment as the audience erupted into thunderous applause and screams.

John could almost feel her surge of emotion as he watched tears of joy well up in her eyes. She waved and posed as was traditional for a figure skater to do, and then skated toward the rink exit to receive her scores.

 _Hard to believe she was only fifteen then_ , he thought. _She seems much older_.

He clicked on another video of her skating for a charity event and grinned when he saw her letting her spicy side show. She wore a short, sparkly, bright pink costume with a tasseled hem and skated to Destiny's Child's " _Bootylicious_ ".

"Well, little Miss Bashful certainly wasn't shy on the ice, that's for sure," he chuckled. He saw another video in the search cue then, and dreaded watching it. It was titled: "Tragic End To Sharlotte Taylor's Figure Skating Career".

The video was news coverage and footage of the fall and injuries which caused Sharlotte's forced retirement. He cautiously clicked on it and watched Sharlotte skating around the rink by herself in a simple outfit of black tights, a gray ultra mini-skirt, and a snug fitting black turtle-neck. The _Hellboy & Liz_ film score from _Hellboy_ was playing over the sound system as she glided over the ice effortlessly. She sped up her pace and then did a half-turn, preparing herself for a jump. She launched into the air gracefully, completed three revolutions, and then came back down to the ice on one foot. She landed the jump correctly but John saw as her lace, indeed, broke. Her ankle snapped forward at an impossible angle as she plummeted face-first to the ice. Her body crashed against the frozen, hard surface and John could actually see her head bounce up and then smack down on the ice again.

"My God…it's a miracle her only head injury was a concussion," he thought out loud. "I can't believe she didn't break her neck!"

He watched as her coach, and several medics headed out onto the ice to check on her. She was completely unresponsive and limp. He watched as the medics quickly situated her on a stretcher, and then carried her off the ice, presumably to an ambulance.

The video ended there and John sat back in his chair, puffing out a sigh. He shook his head to clear the image of Sharlotte's slight frame lying in a small damaged heap on the ice. The sight scared him, as well as took his appetite.

As he pushed the remainder of his dinner away from him, the sudden urge to have Sharlotte in his arms flew over him, and he couldn't explain the strange sensation. It was just an irrepressible need. He shook his head, knowing 'need' wasn't a strong enough term. It was almost as if something was trying to pull him to her. And after seeing how easily death could have claimed her, he didn't need much nudging. Looking at his watch, he noted the time and did some quick calculations in his head.

Moments later, he was smiling and putting the piece of paper he'd written Sharlotte's address on in his jeans pocket.  


}i{}i{}i{}i{  


Sharlotte slowly came awake, and saw that TNA Impact had gone off, and 1,000 Ways To Die now played on her television screen. Shuddering at the grotesque show, she shut the television off, and looked at her alarm clock.

 _Ugh, it's already 10:30_ , she inwardly groaned. Glancing down at the foot of her bed, she then realized Noah was lying at the foot of her bed, fast asleep. Slightly groggy, she stood to her feet and approached her nephew, gently nudging his shoulder.

"Noah," she whispered, "TNA is off now. You should go to your own bed and get some sleep, baby."

The boy groaned in his sleep and rolled over, unable to rouse himself from sleep.

She didn't have the heart to jar him awake so—with a soft sigh of defeat—she struggled to lift her nephew's frame into her arms, then managed to carry him down the hall to his room. Moments later, she laid him down on his bed and pulled the covers up over him. She leaned down and whispered, "Tomorrow is another day, just remember that, kiddo. Love you." Brushing a kiss over his forehead, she then left the room, and crossed the hall to Julie's room.

She figured Julie'd had enough time to cool off, and hopefully could talk rationally. She had to make it clear that her earlier behavior would not be tolerated.

_Noah and I will not be abused. I just won't have it._

Tentatively, she raised her hand and wrapped her knuckles on the door's hard wood.

No answer.

Sighing, she knocked again, fearing Julie was still angry and acting like a child.

Still, no answer.

"Julie, open this door. _Now_. We have to talk."

Silence.

Groaning in frustration, Sharlotte turned the doorknob and entered the room. "Julie, enough. This is getting…"

Her words trailed off when she saw she was speaking to a dark and empty room.

She nearly turned to go to the kitchen, feeling sure her sister was probably eating before leaving for work, when she spotted in the darkness a folded piece of paper propped up on Julie's pillow.

She turned on the light then, and her eyes took a full survey of the room as her heart sank. All the bureau's drawers were open and empty, and the closet door was also open. The interior of the closet was bare except for empty hangers.

"Please, God…no…" she whispered in dread.

Hurriedly, she turned and closed the door, fearing Noah would get up and see across the hall into the obviously vacated room. She couldn't help Noah if he had a panic attack, because she was about to have one of her own. Crossing the room then, Sharlotte snatched up the note left on her sister's pillow.  


_Sharlotte,_

_You were right. You've done everything, while I try to sleep my life away. That's not fair to you or Noah. I'm battling some demons, Sharlotte. Not like mom and dad's demons. Mine are even worse. It's depression and loneliness. And drugs. I've been abusing Xanax for a couple of years now. I have also been using recreational drugs along with it._

_I know you don't know who Noah's father is… that's part of my problem, and part of why I hate wrestling. I had a weak moment in life, Sharlotte. I had a one night stand with a wrestler, and while I wanted a relationship with him, he was so busy training to wrestle. I just knew he wasn't up for that kind of commitment. He wasn't a bad guy. We just both made a mistake. And then I wound up pregnant. Please don't tell Noah about his father. I'm too ashamed. I just wanted you to know why I am, the way I am._

_Anyway, I hate to do this to you, but I'm leaving, Shar. For good. I realize I'm putting too much pressure on you, and I'm failing miserably as a mother to Noah, and as a sister to you. I'm just not good for either one of you. I realize this will make things a little more difficult for you, but the house is paid for so you'll at least always have a roof over your head. I'm sorry, I just don't know what else to do._

_Take care of my baby. I love you both very much, even though I did a lousy job of showing it._

_~Julie_  


"No…no…no…" Sharlotte felt the tears pouring down her cheeks. "How can she do this to us? How will I provide for Noah by myself?" She wadded the note up in her clenched fist. "How could she be so selfish?"

In a daze, she headed quietly back to her bedroom and took off her clothes immediately pulling on her favorite satin, pale pink robe. She then went through the motions of brushing her teeth and brushing out her hair before collapsing onto her bed in a series of shuddering sobs that shook her slender build. She straightened up the crumpled mess of a note and read it again.

"'Make things a little more difficult' for me," she read out loud. "How stupid can she be?" She shook her head and sobbed again, careful to be as quiet as possible. She didn't want to wake Noah only for him to discover his mother had abandoned him, and see his aunt suffering a huge anxiety attack.

"Okay, Sharlotte Taylor…Get your head on straight. You can do this. Clearly, your sister can't think of anyone but herself, so you're going to have to suck it up and deal with it." She rubbed her temples to ease the headache that had grown to monstrous proportions behind her eyes and in her sinuses. "Tomorrow on my lunch break I need to figure up what the bills come to each month and make sure my income will cover them all." She shook her head again, and then said a prayer before she got under the covers of her bed.

She fell asleep almost instantly, tears still streaming down her face.  


}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

John drove to the outskirts of town and followed the directions his GPS gave to find Sharlotte's house. He hated to arrive so late at night, but he just had to see her and he felt sure she'd not mind finally seeing him in person. He couldn't shake the feeling that Sharlotte was troubled about something. And it wasn't just due to the last time he saw her. She'd heard someone yelling in the house and seemed very distressed. But he had the oddest feeling that things had gotten worse for her.

They had some sort of special connection and he couldn't figure it out. He'd only seen things like that in the movies or in books. He'd never experienced anything like it in his life.

His GPS told him to turn right onto a dirt road then, and he complied, keeping his eye out for a mailbox or house numbers to inform him he was headed the correct way. After several minutes, he reached her house and double checked the address to make sure he had the right one.

 _It'd really suck if I woke up a complete stranger_ , John thought. _Something tells me I wouldn't be too welcome around here again._ He pulled into the long driveway then and killed the engine. _Hopefully Sharlotte hasn't noticed me out here. I need to keep quiet._

John got out of the car and gently clicked the car door shut, and pulled out his cell phone. He highlighted her name in his contact list and tapped the "call" icon.

After a few rings, he heard her sleepy voice answer, " _Hello_?"

"Hey, beautiful," he smiled. "I'm sorry I woke you, but I have a surprise waiting for you on your front porch and I need you to go get it."


	14. Chapter 14

 

_**Chapter 14** _

 

 

Sharlotte woke to Jessica Simpson's _Irresistable_. She shot strait up and grabbed her phone in haste since she'd recently set the ringtone to be John's. It just seemed fitting—mainly because the tone of the song was the way she thought of John…he was absolutely irresistible.

"John," she greeted softly and then coughed lightly, fighting the tear-induced thickness in her throat.

" _Hey, beautiful_. _I'm sorry I woke you, but I have a surprise waiting for you on your front porch and I need you to go get it_."

"What? A _surprise_? How in the world did you have something delivered this late?" She sniffled then, and reached for a tissue out of the box on her night table. "It's really great to hear your voice. It's just what I needed," she confessed.

" _Are you okay_ ," John answered her initial question with one of his own. " _You sound like you have a cold_."

Sharlotte shook her head and replied hesitantly, "No, I'm not sick. I've just had a really…rough night."

" _I'm sorry, sweetie. Is there anything I can do to help_?"

"No, not really. It's just…something I have to figure out for myself." She didn't want to weigh him down with her new problems, so she tried changing the subject. "So, what's this surprise, and how did you get it delivered at midnight?"

" _I've got my connections. Now, go check it out, woman_ ," he teased her. " _It might just help you feel a little better_."

"Okay, but you really didn't have to do this."

Sharlotte was surprised to feel herself smiling. Rising to her feet, she slipped on her fuzzy slippers before heading down the hallway toward the stairs. She was eager to see what he'd sent her, so she hurriedly jogged down the stairs, combing her fingers through her hair as she went. A few seconds later, she quickly opened the front door.

Looking down at the wooden porch, she saw nothing. She then stepped out onto the porch itself, and as she peered to her left, there was still nothing. She took a few steps further and stared at the porch swing closely, squinting to see through the darkness.

"John, there's nothing here," she finally spoke into the phone. "I think you may have-"

"Try looking behind you."

Sharlotte gasped and froze for an instant. The soft-spoken words came from _behind_ her—not from her phone. And furthermore, the voice was undeniably John's.

 _No way_ , she thought, slowly turning around.

Despite her prior observations, she still couldn't believe it when she saw a large-framed, male silhouette standing on her porch. Normally seeing a man on her porch in the middle of the night would've sent her screaming back into her house, but the huge silhouette couldn't belong to anyone but John Cena.

"J-John…?"

Her phone slipped from her hand and clattered onto the porch's railing.

She watched in shock as he took a couple steps forward and stepped into a beam of moonlight. _It_ is _him,_ she thought, finally able to make out his facial features. _Bright blue eyes, cleft chin, gorgeous smile_. "Oh, my God…" She managed to whisper. Her hand shot up to her mouth, as if she were afraid a shriek might rip forth at any moment.

"Well, do I get a hug, or what?"

She saw John's dimples flash as he questioned her softly.

"Hug," she parroted blankly.

Sharlotte knew she must sound like a complete moron, but she feared she was losing her mind. _First, my sister hits Noah and me, then leaves me high and dry to finish raising Noah on my own, and now I'm seeing John Cena on my porch asking me for a hug in the middle of the night_!

"Yeah, you know—when friends or loved ones wrap their arms around each other," he teased lightly, moving another step closer. He recalled her saying she'd had a rough night then, and instantly felt horrible for sounding so cheerful. "Come here, Sharlotte," he coaxed gently, opening his arms to her.

With the day she'd had, the tender gesture was all it took.

Tears burned her eyes as she flew to him and dove into his embrace. Wrapping her arms around his torso, she gave into the urge to bury her face against his chest. He instantly closed his arms around her and held her close, rocking her back and forth. She inhaled and caught the scent of his cologne. He smelled just the way she would've imagined—light and clean…masculine, but not over-powering.

"I have to say, this feels really nice," John said, enjoying the feel of her slender body pressed against his large one. She nodded against his chest, and he could feel her trembling. A soft sob shook her slight frame then and he held her tighter. "What's wrong, Sharlotte," he asked softly. "Can you talk about it, sweetheart?"

"I-I just…I just needed you—so much. You have no idea how much I needed you right now," she cried. " _I_ didn't even realize it myself, till I saw you standing here."

He rocked her again, relishing the feel of her in his arms. He tucked her head under his chin and closed his eyes almost dreamily as he whispered, "I needed you too, baby. And I _felt_ you needing me. I can't explain why—or how—but I did."

"Can you stay a little while," Sharlotte asked, pulling back a little to look into his face. "I've gotten some bad news, and I…I'm afraid to be alone tonight. I'm fighting some anxiety, and it's hard to do by myself."

"Of course," he said, stroking her back. He reached up and gently brushed some tears from her cheeks. "I wouldn't leave you alone when you're scared." He glanced down for a moment, bashfulness appearing on his face. "I was actually hoping I could stay the night and leave early in the morning for a house show in Dallas."

"Yes, of course, you can stay." She smiled thankfully. "I'm so happy…I can't believe you did this."

"Well, I'm glad you're happy," he returned her smile. "It was a bit presumptuous of me to just show up here, I'll admit. But-"

"Shh…" she shushed him as she walked over to retrieve her cell phone. "It was not. I'm very glad you came."

"So am I," he grinned. "I'll just go grab my bag so I can change in the morning before I leave."

He headed down the steps out to his car, grabbed his rolling suitcase and then hurried back to the porch with a broad smile on his handsome face. Sharlotte already had entered the house and was waiting for him to enter next.

"You can leave your bag here in the hall for now," she told him, switching on the hallway light and turning to face him. She almost cringed at the sudden anger she saw in his eyes. "John? What's-"

"Who did that to you," he demanded, reaching over and gently turning her face to better inspect her cheek. The lighting they stood in revealed some bruising on her face. "Was it the guy who threatened you? Is he the bad news you were talking about?"

At the sharp twinge of pain in her face, she suddenly remembered the hard slap Julie gave her. She started to answer when John's finger lightly trailed to the corner of her mouth. The tender contact sent a shiver of delight all the way up her spine.

"God, he even cut your mouth," he whispered softly, typically assuming her attacker was a male. His blue eyes flashed then, taking her silence as admittance. His jaw clenched in anger before he spoke again. "I'll kill him."

Sharlotte emphatically shook her head. "No. It…It's nothing, John. Really. I-"

"Nothing," John repeated in disbelief. "Your mouth is cut, and your cheekbone is bruised. That doesn't look like 'nothing' to me. Now tell me, who is he?"

"I-I…It's not…"

 _I hate to let him know about Julie slapping me, but I can't just make something up either_ , she thought, nibbling on her bottom lip.

"You have to tell me so I can teach him that women aren't to be abused," he insisted.

"You can't."

"I bet I _can_ —and I _will_. Now, who was it, Sharlotte?" He stared into her gray eyes with determination. "I won't let this go."

She sighed and her shoulders slumped. "My sister."

His jaw nearly dropped. "What—your _sister_ ," he asked. "Why did she think hitting you was a good form of communication?"

"It was all a big—a huge…" she trailed off, struggling for the right words, "train wreck. It was a huge train wreck. She… I…" She finally gave up on speaking and puffed out a sigh as she looked up at John. "Are you hungry? I could use some comfort food. How about I fix us something to eat and tell you what happened?"

"Sure," he said. "Sounds good." He reached over and inspected the welted bruise on her face again. "Have you doctored this?"

Sharlotte shook her head. "No, not really. I dabbed at the cut with a wet washcloth but that's all. I was more concerned about Noah, so I-"

"What happened to Noah," John asked, his eyes searching hers.

"She hit him too."

"My God."

She nodded and added, "I made it clear that if it happens again I would be calling the police and getting custody of Noah."

He brushed her long blond hair over her shoulder and gave her neck a gentle squeeze. He wasn't surprised to feel her neck tight with tense muscles. "Okay, the first thing we're going to do is doctor your face. Then we can eat a bite and you can tell me everything…deal?"

Sharlotte nodded with a wan smile. "Deal."

He took her hand in his and led her down the hallway. "Kitchen this way," he asked, pointing through the living room.

She nodded, enjoying the feel of his large, warm hand encasing hers. Absentmindedly, she curled her fingers tighter, giving his hand a squeeze. He looked down at her and smiled warmly, returning the squeeze of her hand with one of his own. She felt her heart skip a beat when his thumb brushed affectionately over the back of her hand.

They entered the kitchen then, and John surprised her by letting go of her hand, and suddenly lifting her off her feet. Caught off guard, she gasped and grabbed at his broad shoulders as he gently deposited her onto the counter.

"Sit here so I can reach your face easier," he said gently. "And first thing's first…where do you keep your first-aid kit?"

"I have one in here, on the bottom shelf of the cupboard above the microwave," Sharlotte answered softly, pointing out the designated cabinet to him.

"Okay," he said, heading over to it and locating the plastic container. He pulled it down and placed it on the counter beside her. "What about Ziploc bags, and dish towels?"

"Dish towels are right there," she replied, pointing to the drawers beside her. "In the second drawer. Ziplocs are in the pantry next to the doorway—second shelf from the top."

A few seconds later, John had everything he needed and began to work on cleaning the cut at her mouth first.

"This will probably sting a little," he warned, moistening a gauze pad with alcohol. "But only for a second."

She nodded, "I know. It's fine."

He gently dabbed at the cut with the gauze then pulled it away to let the wound breath. She winced slightly as the air hit the doctored cut.

"Sorry," he whispered, gently blowing on the cut to hurry and dry the alcohol.

"It's okay," she whispered in return, lifting her gaze to his face.

His lips were mere inches from hers.

Their eyes met and Sharlotte's breath trembled slightly. Time seemed to freeze as they stared at each other.

 _Please, kiss me_ , she thought, unable to glance away from his intense sapphire gaze.

John knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, at some point he would kiss her. It was only a matter of time. But he needed to take his time about it.

 _If she's not dated much_ , _I don't want to freak her out. I could kiss her_ goodbye _then_.

Oh, but he was dying to kiss her right at that moment. He wanted it more than his next breath. Especially when she was looking at him the way she was.

"I think the alcohol's dry now," he stated lamely.

 _Moron_ , he scolded himself. _Way to go, MORON_.

Sharlotte nodded, unaware of his internal dialogue and unsure of what to say.

He tore himself away from her and walked over to the refrigerator with a Ziploc bag in his hand. Then he opened the freezer door and began loading the baggie with ice cubes.

"We need to ice your cheek a little. It'll help take down any swelling and soreness."

"Okay," she replied, still dazed. She couldn't fight off the feeling of disappointment when he failed to kiss her. Then she felt silly. _Like John Cena would really care to kiss me_ , she thought. _He could have just about anyone he wanted_. _So I highly doubt he'd pick an everyday woman like me_.

John approached her with the bag of ice and then covered the baggie with the dish towel he'd grabbed. Then he placed the ice pack in her hand and lifted both it and her hand to her face. She flinched at the sudden, harsh coldness to her bruised cheekbone.

"Just hold it there for a few minutes," he whispered soothingly. "It'll help, I promise."

She nodded, almost in a daze. She hadn't known what it felt like to be taken care of. With the exception of Julie coming to the hospital to fix the wrongs in her life after her accident, Sharlotte had been the caregiver in Julie's and Noah's lives. It felt nice to be the one cared for, for a change.

She sat still as John put a small dollop of Neosporin on a Q-tip and dabbed it on the cut he'd cleaned moments before.

Beginning to put things away, he glanced up at her after realizing she'd been very quiet for a few moments. He reached back into the first-aid kit and pulled out a sample packet of two Advil. "Here, take these too," he said, tearing open the packet and dumping the pills into her free hand. "Glasses?"

"Right over my head," she smiled, and ducked so John could get her a glass out of the cupboard.

He poured her some water from the refrigerator's dispenser and handed her the glass, then watched her gulp down the tablets.

"Thank you, John."

She smiled again, but with a sadness in her eyes John wished he could erase.

"You okay," he asked softly.

She nodded, but wouldn't elaborate.

"Come on," he coaxed, and moved so close to her that her knees brushed against his waist. "I'm here to help, so let me."

She flushed due to his nearness, and met his eyes with a shy smile. "You've _been_ helping already." She took another sip of water and continued. "I was just thinking how nice it's been. I usually am busy taking care of other people. It feels good for a change…for someone to help me out."

He smiled in reply. "It feels good to take care of you. Usually, it's just the opposite for me. It's not that I don't _want_ to take care of my family or my friends, I'm just rarely around them in order to do it."

"You take care of your family in other ways though," Sharlotte said, setting her glass down on the counter top.

"How so," He asked, curious as to how she was thinking. He was always so busy with work he felt useless toward his family.

"Well, when you were…when you and Jasmine were…together…You have a stable career, and a steady income. So—when she was injured or something, she never had to worry about some emergency bill coming up that she couldn't take care of, due to your hard work."

He snorted. "Yeah, she had several shopping emergencies each week that "came up"."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, feeling badly that she'd made him feel worse. "I just meant that…There's plenty of spouses who aren't home very much, so they have to pretty much rely on their income to take care of their families."

He nodded, and smiled at her. "I know what you meant. I didn't mean to seem snappy. I guess… I guess I'm just a little bitter despite the fact that I'm glad to be rid of her."

"That's perfectly understandable," she replied, reaching up to touch his shoulder. "I'm sure you were a wonderful fiancé to her. I just hate the fact-"

She halted her words suddenly, realizing she was about to say too much.

"No, no, no," John laughed. "You're going to have to quit doing that."

"Doing what," she asked, chuckling nervously.

"You need to quit agonizing over what you say to me. I'm _not_ going to get mad at you."

"There's a first time for everything," Sharlotte shot back, raising an eyebrow at him.

He raised his own eyebrow and braced his hands on the counter top on either side of her hips. "Tell me, or you aren't getting off that counter."

"Oh, really," she teased, a sparkle lighting up her gray eyes. "Well, I'll have you know, I fight dirty."

"So do I."

With that, his hands shot to her waist and began tickling her ribs mercilessly. The ice-pack dropped out of her hand and she squealed and giggled while trying desperately to pull his hands away from her middle.

"John!... Stop!…" she begged through her gasps and giggles.

"Then finish what you were going to say," he insisted, all the while laughing at her struggles to stop him.

"Okay… _Okay_!"

Her last squeal was frantic, so he took pity on her and finally ceased the tickling.

"Just…g-give…me a second to…catch…breath…" Sharlotte replied through her laughter. She playfully slugged him on the shoulder and took a few deep breaths.

"You wouldn't be stalling for time, now would you," John teasingly threatened, and raised his hands again.

"NO," she almost yelled, curling her arms around herself to protect her midsection from another attack. "I'll tell you now."

He leaned in closer and smiled. "I'm listening."

She blushed and avoided eye contact with him. "I was going to say… I hated the fact that you were engaged to such a hateful shrew." At seeing a twinkle enter his eyes, she continued. "You deserve so much better and… And it makes me sad that she treated you so horribly."

He tilted her chin upward with his finger, forcing her to meet his gaze. His face was more serious now.

"It makes me sad too," he admitted. "But I'm so grateful I didn't go through with the wedding." He paused a moment, staring into her eyes. "I don't know if I _deserve_ better, but I'd sure _hoped_ for better. I wanted someone kind and sweet. Someone loving and selfless. Someone who had inner beauty as well as outer beauty. Someone a lot like…" he hesitated then, as if something had occurred to him, and he dropped his gaze.

Sharlotte timidly lifted her hand to his face and urged him to look at her. "Tell me," she whispered. "I won't get mad at you either, I promise." She'd meant to sound teasing, but her voice trembled with emotion instead.

John smiled faintly, gave her a slight nod and then prepared to speak his mind as he moved his face closer to hers. He heard her intake of breath as he whispered, "I'd hoped for someone like y-"

"Aunt Sharlotte?"

They both froze then looked to the kitchen's doorway. Noah stood in the entryway, looking at them.

The young boy nearly swallowed his tongue.

"John Cena's in our house?!"

"Hey Noah," John greeted with a smile. He forced himself not to react to the new bruise forming on the boy's face. "How are ya, bud?"

The boy was nearly speechless. He rubbed at his eyes and took a better look at his aunt and John. "How…why…when did you get here," he asked John.

Chuckling, John replied, "About a half hour ago. I have to be at a house show tomorrow night in Dallas, so I thought I'd get an early start out there, and come for a visit on the way."

"Why didn't you wake me up," Noah asked Sharlotte. "I would've missed out on meeting him."

"He's staying the night, sweetie. You would have met him in the morning. I would've woken you up if he was leaving later tonight."

Noah nodded. "Oh. Okay." He smiled then. "So, will you sleep in my room, John?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Sharlotte cut in with a smile. "You would stay up all night talking to him and then neither of you would get any sleep. What with the drive John has ahead of him tomorrow, he's going to need some rest."

Noah frowned slightly. "Okay."

"I'll come visit again soon, bud. Okay," John said with a smile. "We'll get to hang out, don't worry."

Noah grinned back. "Sounds awesome!"

They all three laughed as Sharlotte turned to the sink and emptied out the melted remnants of her ice pack.

"So where _will_ John sleep," Noah asked, his forehead wrinkling with concern. "The sofa isn't big enough for him."

"Oh, yeah… Well… He'll…" Sharlottes words faltered in her attempt to find an answer. He obviously couldn't sleep with her in her room. That wouldn't send an appropriate message to Noah.

 _But then I couldn't say he'll sleep in Julie's room because having a stranger sleeping in his mom's room would get Noah suspicious since she was usually home and in bed by eight…And I just_ can't _tell him about Julie leaving tonight._

This gave her a new worry.

 _How in the world will I break the news to him_?

She finally had to brush her fears aside for her mind's sake and answered Noah. "I'll sleep in Julie's room and John can sleep in mine." She glanced over at him then. "You need to get back to bed, kiddo. You do have school tomorrow."

"Ah, man…" Noah groaned. "Total bummer!"

Sharlotte chuckled. "I know. I would just let you stay home, but I have to be at work tomorrow, so you wouldn't have supervision. I just can't afford to lose any more time." She walked over to him and gave him a hug. "Do you want me to come up with you and get you settled in?"

Noah started to nod, but then she could clearly see his mental gears turning. "Well, since you already did earlier…would it be okay if John did it?"

She ruffled his hair and smiled. "Well, I don't know. That's up to John." She looked over at John then. "Is that okay with you?"

He smiled. "Of course. In fact, kiddo, I'll do ya one better…" he crouched down in front of Noah then. "Grab on and I'll give you a piggyback ride up there."

"Awesome," Noah grinned. He latched his arms around the large man's neck, and then John stood to his feet with the boy clinging to him like a spider monkey.

"Hold on tight," John said teasingly and then headed out of the kitchen.

Sharlotte could hear Noah giggling the whole way. She smiled despite the depressing details she would have to give John when he came back down and they had their talk about her bruised face.

 _I hope he doesn't pity me_. _I could handle him being understanding and sympathetic, but I just couldn't take it if he began pitying me. It would be too humiliating._

Worrying over how she'd explain everything to John, she walked over to the refrigerator to see what she could fix for them to eat. And then it hit her: _I don't have to tell him Julie left. At least not yet. I just can't face it. Not tonight._


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: mild to moderate sexual situations 18+ Only

 

_**Chapter 15** _

 

 

"Be ready on the count of three, okay?"

Noah giggled loudly from atop John's broad shoulders and nodded. "Yep!"

"Okay. One… Two… Three! Attitude Adjustment comin' up!"

John squatted down slightly, and then very gently flipped Noah over his shoulders, depositing the child safely onto his bed.

The boy giggled hysterically as he bounced a couple times on his bed. "Awesome!"

John laughed. "That's not usually what my opponents say."

"I bet not," Noah grinned in agreement, flashing a dimple in his cheek. "Especially since they aren't landing on mattresses!"

John laughed again as he crouched by the bed so he wouldn't tower over Noah. He couldn't help taking an instant liking to the boy. He was obviously a bright, fun-loving and good-mannered kid. "No, canvas is a far cry from a soft bed. Although, that's how me and my brothers wrestled when we were kids. We'd all get our mattresses lined up on the floor in one of our rooms, and have our own wrestling matches."

"Cool," Noah exclaimed, his blue eyes lighting up with excitement. "I want to try-"

"Oh, no you don't," came Sharlotte's teasing voice from the doorway. "Do _not_ get any ideas, Noah Taylor."

"Uh, oh," John whispered to Noah, a twinkle in his eyes. "Party-pooper alert."

"I heard that, John."

Noah giggled and watched for the wrestler's reaction.

John winked at the boy then turned his head and smiled angelically at Sharlotte. "Are you mad? How much trouble am I in?"

"Now, how could I be mad at a man with those dimples," she flirted in return. "Actually I'm almost finished fixing a snack in the kitchen, if you're hungry."

Blushing as a result of Sharlotte's compliment, John replied with a grin, "Okay, I'll be down in a minute. Just let me say goodnight to Noah."

"Okay." Her gaze shifted to her nephew then. "Goodnight, Noah. Don't keep him up here all night, okay?"

"I won't," the boy laughed. "Goodnight, Aunt Sharlotte. Love you."

"I love you too, baby." With that, she then turned and headed for the stairs.

"She likes you, ya know," Noah reported once he was sure his aunt was completely out of earshot.

"Oh, yeah?" John turned his attention back to Noah. "How can you tell?"

"You called her earlier today didn't you—while we were out buying my cell phone?"

"Yeah," he answered, unsure of where the kid was heading.

"Well, I saw her face when she looked at her Caller ID. She looked happy— _really_ happy."

"Well, I'm glad," John said softly. "I'm always happy when I get to talk to her."

"Do _you_ like _her_?"

 _This kid's sure putting me in the hot seat_ , he thought with amusement. He tried to appear relaxed, and simply shrugged, unsure of how much information he could trust the boy with. "Sure, I like her. She's a good friend to have," he hedged. He glanced around the boy's room and admired a collection of unopened wrestling action figures that were set up on a large table in the corner of the bedroom. He made an attempt to get Noah's mind off the subject at hand. "You've got a great room, bud. I like your collection of action figures over there."

The boy nodded. "Thanks." He paused a moment before asking, "Do you think Aunt Sharlotte's pretty?"

"Of course," John exclaimed with a smile. "Don't you?"

"Definitely," Noah returned. "I just wondered what you thought."

"She's a beautiful young woman, with a kind heart. And I'm very glad I met her," he replied with a smile. "That's what I think."

Noah nodded again, but persisted. "I promise I won't tell her if you like her."

John decided to play his answer down a bit, and shook his head. "I don't know for sure, Noah. I mean, I like her for a friend definitely, and I _do_ know I am attracted to her. But I'm just going to enjoy our friendship for now, and see what happens." He knew full well he was already halfway in love with Sharlotte. But he wasn't going to tell the boy that yet. "You can't hurry things like this. Remember that, kiddo. Don't _ever_ rush into anything. Always think things through and be sure of what you're doing. I had to learn that the hard way, believe me."

"Okay," Noah yawned, his eyes growing heavy. "I'll remember."

"Good," John smiled and pulled the bed covers up around the boy, tucking him in. "Sleep well, Noah. I'll see you in the morning."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely," he replied, playfully tapping the boy's dimpled chin with his knuckle. "And I keep my promises too."

"I know you do," Noah smiled. "Goodnight, John."

"Goodnight, bud," John replied, reaching up and clicking off the bedside lamp as the young boy turned onto his side and closed his eyes.

John left the room then, pulling the door closed behind him. As he headed down the staircase, he could hear the light clatter of plates being set on a table. He crossed the living room to enter the kitchen and immediately caught the aroma of melted cheese. His stomach immediately growled in response.

"Yum, what smells so good," he asked, catching sight of Sharlotte stooped over at the refrigerator.

She pulled out a couple cans of diet soda and raised up to face him, a smile lighting up her face. "Cheese nachos with a couple other ingredients," she replied. "Does that sound okay?"

"Sounds _great_ ," he replied. "I didn't eat much earlier today, so I'm pretty hungry now."

"Why didn't you eat much," Sharlotte asked, setting the cans of soda on the kitchen table. "Are you sick?" She reached up and placed her hand against his cheek, testing for fever.

"No," he replied, flustered by the feel of her hand on his face. "I sort of…just lost my appetite, I guess."

"Something wrong," she asked, and motioned for him to sit down with her at the table. "I hope diet soda is okay. I don't keep alcohol in the house because I don't drink."

"No problem," he said. "I don't drink quite as much as I used to anyway." He sat down and popped open the can of soda, taking a sip. "And nothing's wrong… _now_ ," he answered her initial question. "I just…saw something online that kind of scared me, to be honest."

"Oh, no," she said. "Is it about Jasmine?"

He shook his head chuckling. "No, nothing like that. I… Well, after I found out you were an Olympian, I looked you up on Youtube."

Sharlotte appeared puzzled as she began placing tortilla chips on their plates and then drenching them with melted nacho cheese. "And that scared you? How so?"

"I saw your fall, Sharlotte."

Her hands shook slightly as she picked up a package of shredded cheddar cheese. "Oh." She sprinkled the cheese in addition to the already melted cheese which covered the chips, and then set the package down. "How bad did it look?"

"You've never seen it," John asked, not hiding the astonishment in his voice.

She shook her head. "No. I couldn't bear to see it."

"Well, it was…bad," he said carefully. "I initially headed here because…the sight of you lying on that ice…I just needed to see you," he finished, unable to explain in words the frantic need to see her. "But then, I was about halfway to Tallahassee when I felt something else…like _you_ needed to see _me_.

Sharlotte finished sprinkling some black olives over their cheese nachos and then picked up a container of non-fat sour cream and a spoon. She managed to meet his gaze and nodded. "I did." She spooned a dollop of sour cream onto her nachos, and then did the same for his. "My sister and I…we had a big fight about Noah."

They each bit into a cheese-saturated chip and savored the flavor of the melted and shredded cheese.

"Okay, this is really good," John said, swallowing a bite. "I'm a cheese-lover. This is perfect."

"Thanks," she chuckled. "I'm a cheese addict myself, so I've always made nachos with melted and shredded cheeses both. It makes them so much yummier."

John nodded in agreement, dipping into a dollop of his sour cream. "So, are you ready to tell me about the fight?"

Sharlotte swallowed a bite of food and reached for a napkin. Nodding hesitantly, she wiped her mouth. "Basically, my sister…" She wavered and shook her head. "Even now, I don't know what really happened. It all started back about a month ago—when I was called to Noah's school about the bullying situation. Noah hadn't wanted to fight, and technically he didn't. One boy held him down while another hit him over and over. Noah told me he only kicked out with his leg one time. He connected with one of the boys' knees, so he got in trouble along with the two bullies." She paused to take a sip of her diet drink. "Anyway, when I tried to explain to my sister what happened, she wouldn't listen. All she heard was that Noah had fought. She permanently grounded him from everything to do with wrestling. She was even going to send him to bed that night without dinner. I made it clear I'd not have that."

"Good," John interjected. "Depriving a child of food is abuse, in my eyes."

"That's what I told her," Sharlotte agreed. "Our dad used to do the same thing to her, so I guess the cycle was threatening to repeat itself. Anyway, I got fed up, and told Noah to start watching wrestling again. It probably wasn't the wisest decision I've ever made, but I was tired of watching Noah suffer just because my sister had become…well, _mean_ , for lack of a better word."

"So was that the yelling I heard during our Skype session," he asked, taking another bite of his nachos.

She nodded. "Yes. She woke up and found Noah watching TNA in the living room. That's when I cut our conversation short and ran downstairs to talk to her." She shook her head then, finding it difficult to tell John about the next part. "She drew her hand back and slapped him. He told her he hated her, and when she moved to hit him again, I stopped her and sent Noah up to his room so he wouldn't be subjected to anymore abuse. Then…it really got terrible."

"You can tell me," John whispered, taking her hand in his.

"I know," she replied softly. "It's just hard."

"Take your time."

She nodded and took a deep breath. "She accused me of taking Noah. She threw in my face that he was her son, and not mine—which is true, but the way she said it was just horrible. She told me if I wanted a kid to screw up, to go have one of my own." Tears welled up in her eyes at the memory. "I _want_ children of my own. But I just haven't been able to…to meet anyone, let alone settle down and get married. I've been too busy with other things, and taking care of things around here." She sighed. "And then I feel horrible because it sounds like I resent it all—and I don't. I love Noah so much. I guess I'm kind of jealous of my sister because she has such a great kid. I raised him for the most part, but at the end of the day he's her son, not mine."

"I'm sorry," John said softly, reaching up and brushing some tears from her cheeks with his thumb. "That was very wrong of her to treat you like that."

"It was hard enough for me. But I worry about Noah. What if he worries that she doesn't love him? Because I know she did— _does_ …she just had some problems going on."

"I'm sorry, sweetie," John said, standing to his feet. He tugged on her hand and urged her to stand as well. "I'm so sorry." He pulled her into his embrace and hugged her close. "I have no idea what to say. But I'm here for you. If you need anything—anything at all, do not hesitate to call me. I'll do anything I can to help you guys."

Sharlotte rested her head against his shoulder. "Thank you so much. You don't know how you've helped already. I know we haven't known each other for very long…we don't know a whole lot about each other, but-"

"I don't think that matters," he cut her off. "Sometimes, you just…know a person. I feel like I've known you for years. No, we've not divulged a lot of information about ourselves, but that's only because we've not had much time to do that yet. We'll get to as time progresses."

"I feel like I've known you for years too," Sharlotte replied with a soft smile. "And I look forward to learning more about you."

"Likewise," John returned, brushing a lock of her hair over her shoulder. "I'm really glad I came here."

His hand lingered at her shoulder and Sharlotte felt his fingers rest on her neck, his thumb stroking over her jawbone. Then his hand moved upward and cupped her cheek. She couldn't help herself as she dreamily closed her eyes, leaning into the caress.

John smiled, enjoying her reaction to his touch.

Sharlotte spoke softly then. "I think we should go to bed."

Immediately, she realized what she said, and her eyes shot open to find John's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Oh, my God," she cried, jumping back. Her hand shot to her mouth. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean that the way it sounded, I promise. I can't believe I said that, I'm so sorry, John," she apologized profusely.

He chuckled, and shook his head. "It's okay, Sharlotte. I didn't truly think you meant it in an inappropriate way." He laughed then. "But it _is_ pretty funny."

"Oh, shut up," she joined in the laughter then and slugged his arm. "I meant we should each go to separate bedrooms, of course. I'm not that kind of gal," she giggled in embarrassment. "I wouldn't just jump into bed with a man."

"I know."

Her gaze lifted to his face and she saw his mood had shifted to serious.

"I can see you are a very honorable young woman," he said softly. "I would never think of you as promiscuous."

She nodded and smiled shyly. "Thank you." Fidgeting, she began taking the plates and dishes off the table and dumped the contents down the garbage disposal. "I'll just put the dishes in the dishwasher, and I'll show you where you'll sleep."

John stepped in and began helping her load the dishes. Once they were finished and Sharlotte had the kitchen table wiped down with a wet dish cloth, she took his hand.

"Come on. Let's go get your bag and I'll show you to my room."

He let her lead him to the hall to retrieve his suitcase, and then he followed her up the stairs and down the hallway, stopping at the first door on the right.

"And this is it," Sharlotte said, opening the door and allowing him to go inside. "Sorry the bed is a tad messed up, but I'd already been asleep."

"No problem," John said, pushing his rolling suitcase up against the wall. "It looks really cozy and comfortable."

She smiled, "Good, I'm glad. Well, let me grab my toothpaste and toothbrush out of my bathroom, and I'll be out of your hair." She hurried into her private half-bathroom, and grabbed her toiletries. "I'll be two more doors down, on the left—if you need anything," she said, after she came back out.

He nodded. "And _I'll_ be here, if _you_ need anything."

"Thank you," she replied softly. "I can't thank you enough for tonight." She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him closely. She felt his arms go securely around her waist, and gave in to the impulse of giving him a kiss. She brushed her lips over his cheek. "Goodnight, John."

"Goodnight, sweetheart," John whispered, secretly wishing the kiss had been on his mouth. It left him wanting more from her. "Get some rest."

Sharlotte nodded. "I will. You do the same." She smiled softly and then left, heading for the main bathroom to brush her teeth.

 _I really needed this_ , she thought, as she squeezed some toothpaste on to her brush. _I don't know how I'd have gotten through tonight without someone to talk to. And for it to be John, I'm so happy._

She finished scrubbing her mouth, and headed for her sister's bedroom. Within minutes, she was under the covers and fell into an exhausted sleep.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

John awoke abruptly to the mixed sounds of soft sobs and rapid footfalls in the hallway. He shot out of the bed and noted the time on the alarm clock on the night table.

 _Four A.M._ , he thought. _What in the world…_

Opening the door, he stepped out into the hall. He heard heavy breathing coming from the other end of the long corridor, and headed in that direction. He noticed both Noah's door and the door to Sharlotte's sister's room were open. Making his way to the end of the hallway, he saw Sharlotte emerge from Noah's room, closing his door behind her. Her hand was over her mouth and she looked as though she would be sick as she moved to enter her sister's room.

"Sharlotte," he whispered, approaching her. "What's wrong?"

She turned to face him and shook her head. "I'm fine. It's stupid… I'm fine, really." Her eyes were slightly glazed as if she'd just awoken only seconds prior, and her chest rose and fell rapidly through her robe as she tried to control her breathing.

"It's not stupid if it made you this upset," he said softly. He reached up and touched her face. "And you're having a cold sweat. What's happened, Sharlotte?"

She shook her head again. "I just had a bad dream. Noah had run away. It was so real…I didn't wake up till I was in the hallway," she confessed. "I had literally gotten out of bed and opened the bedroom door while I was asleep. Thank goodness I didn't wake him."

"You were sleepwalking," he asked. "That's not good."

"I've never done it before," she said. "I hope I don't make a habit of it."

"So do I." John thought for a moment, and then took her hand. "Come on," he coaxed, "Come stay with me."

"No," Sharlotte immediately protested. "That's not a good message to give Noah…"

"Does he have a habit of walking into your room or his mother's room without knocking?"

"No, but-"

"I thought not. Come on. It'll be okay."

"But what if he finds out somehow?"

"Then we'll tell him the truth. You had a nightmare and were upset, so I insisted on staying with you, so you wouldn't have any more bad dreams."

Sharlotte seemed to hesitate a little longer, but slowly caved as John began leading her back to her bedroom. "O-okay…I'll just try to get up early enough so he doesn't find out."

"You need some sleep," he replied. "If anyone gets up early, it'll be me."

"No," She protested as they entered the room. "You're the guest. That isn't fair to you." She watched as he shut the door and then walked straight over to her. "Plus, you have a long drive tomorrow-"

She was silenced as John's finger pressed against her lips.

"I'm rested," he interrupted. "You're the one going through a rough time right now-"

"So…are…you…" Sharlotte struggled to speak around his finger.

He chuckled at her attempts. "Don't argue with me, woman. Get your butt in the bed. Now. "

She flushed, and still hesitated. Before she could say anything else, John bent and scooped her up into his arms, cradling her against his shirtless frame.

"John!" She gasped and reflexively wrapped her arms around his neck. She was aware of his skin against hers and immediately looked down to find her robe hanging off her shoulder.

"I told you not to argue with me," John chuckled softly, as he carried her to the bed. "I always win."

"I'm sorry," Sharlotte said softly, her mind on her robe. She looked down at herself self-consciously, "I'm not dressed very appropriately. I should put something on besides this robe-"

"Don't worry about it," he said smiling as he laid her down on the bed. "You look beautiful." He couldn't deny the fact that he loved how she looked in the silky robe she wore. The pastel pink satin combined with her pale skin and blonde hair made her look like a beautiful porcelain doll. It hit him then what she'd said. "Wait... You mean... You're not wearing-"

"Anything under this robe? Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," she said softly, her face flaming. "I tend to sleep better-"

"Naked," John finished for her. A slight smile playing on his lips. "I'm the same way."

"Oh, my," Sharlotte whispered, her eyes wide. "It's gotten warm all of a sudden."

John gently laid her on the bed and pulled the covers up over her, then he went into her bathroom and quickly returned with a damp washcloth. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he placed it against her forehead, dabbing at the sweat dotting her hairline. He noticed her eyes were glued to his chest and shoulders then, and glanced downward. He instantly realized she was staring because he was shirtless and wore only a pair of boxers. "Do you want me to put on a shirt?"

Wordlessly, she shook her head, and then shifted her gaze to his and saw the mischievous smile that stretched across his handsome face. She felt her face burning and avoided his eyes. "You have a great body, so sue me for ogling you a little bit," she laughed, her embarrassment obvious. "Up until now, I've only seen you on TV. And…"

"Is that a good 'and'," he asked softly.

"Of course," she exclaimed. "The 'and' is—you're even more gorgeous in person," she finished shyly.

John turned her face back to his and stared into her gray eyes. "So are you." He leaned down, closing his eyes, and Sharlotte was sure he was about to kiss her.

And he did.

On her forehead.

Then he climbed into bed beside her and settled himself against the soft pillows.

Forcing herself to ignore the crashing sensation of disappointment, she turned onto her side and watched him a moment before speaking softly.

"Do you think Noah will be okay?"

John pulled her against him and held her close. "Of course. This will be rough on him, I'm sure. But he has an amazing aunt who'll do anything for him. He'll be fine. And don't worry about your dream," he told her. "That kid loves you too much to put you through that kind of fear."

She looked up at him. "I know he does. But I still worry about him."

"I'm sure you do. That's only normal."

She nodded. "You're right." She yawned then. "Thank you for sleeping with me." She smacked her forehead at hearing John's chuckle. "I have to stop doing that," she laughed softly. "You know what I mean. Thanks for _staying_ with me."

He laughed again. "You're welcome, sweetheart. Now get some sleep. I'm not going anywhere." To prove his point, he pulled her closer and stroked his hand over her back.

"You're going to spoil me," she smiled sleepily, and draped herself across his chest, laying her head on his shoulder. "Does this bother you?"

"Not in the least, beautiful," he replied contentedly. "Not in the least."

Sighing quietly, Sharlotte gradually slid back into sleep, feeling John's lips brush over her temple as she faded away.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: mild to moderate sexual situations 18+ Only

 

_**Chapter 16** _

 

 

John slowly woke to the feel of Sharlotte shifting in his arms. He opened his eyes against the bright morning light and looked down at her, pulling her closer to his large frame. Her neck settled onto the crook of his arm, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She snuggled against him as a soft sigh of contentment escaped her lips and brushed over his skin while he gazed at her.

Her golden hair was splayed out on her pillow, and his eyes trailed downward, taking in her slender frame. The robe she wore had fallen open slightly, and while she was still covered for the most part, he received a much wanted dose of creamy pale skin at her sternum, and along her toned thigh.

She looked like an erotic version of Sleeping Beauty, and John didn't think he'd seen a woman more beautiful. She didn't seem to realize how sexy she truly was, and that made her only more appealing to him.

Smiling, he brushed some of her light golden hair over her shoulder and traced his finger down the length of her nose, and over her full lips. Touching her soft mouth, he ached to kiss her. He'd been dying to since he first saw her on the porch hours before, despite what he'd told Noah.

Briefly thinking it over, he finally gave in to the temptation and dipped his head down, slowly closing the gap between their faces. He only allowed himself the briefest of touches between their mouths. When they truly shared a kiss, he wanted them _both_ to experience it. He smelled the sweetness of her skin then, and grew hard, unable to fight the urge to taste her neck. His lips traveled lightly over her collar bone and upward, then he nuzzled behind her ear.

"Mmm, you're killing me, beautiful," he groaned softly. He nipped softly at her neck and soothed the gentle love bite with the tip of his tongue. He heard her whimper softly in her throat as she continued to sleep. The sound shot strait to his groin. "I want you so badly," he whispered, kissing and nipping at her neck again. This earned him a full-fledged moan, and he felt her hips begin to move against him in earnest. He groaned again and moved his lips to her shoulder.

"John..." Sharlotte moaned softly in her sleep. Her back arched slightly, and the robe slipped a little more from her chest, giving him a brief glimpse of her breast. A glimpse that would stay with him forever.

He breathed hard, trying to gain control of himself. Quickly, he pulled the sides of her robe back together and rose from the bed, taking deep breaths. After several deep inhalations, he finally felt the tight hardness begin to leave his shaft.

He heard a door shut suddenly from the hallway, and then Noah's voice calling for his aunt.

"Aunt Sharlotte?"

John hastily pulled on his jeans, then hurried out the bedroom door so he wouldn't wake Sharlotte. Their too brief interlude had caused more frustration than if he'd not tried to kiss her or touch her at all.

Closing the bedroom door behind him, he instantly spotted Noah down the hall about to knock on Sharlotte's sister's bedroom door.

"Pssst!"

Once he got Noah's attention, he beckoned for the boy to come over to him.

"John? What is it," Noah asked softly, seeming to know instinctively that he shouldn't speak loudly.

"Your aunt had a rough time getting some sleep last night, so I thought I'd let her get some extra rest while I fix you guys some breakfast," John explained. "So try not to wake her, okay?"

The boy nodded and then looked suspiciously at John. "How do you know she had a rough night?" His blue eyes lit up with a realization then. "Did you guys sleep in the same room," he asked incredulously.

Not wanting to cause Sharlotte to feel shame, he told a half-truth. "Yes, bud. We did. But I slept on the floor." He felt bad for the lie, but he didn't want to disappoint Sharlotte and set a bad example for the boy.

"Oh," Noah said, unsure of how to respond.

John, feeling as though he should do some potential damage control, crouched down to Noah's level. "Don't worry, Noah. I would never do anything to hurt your aunt, or to dishonor her, or take advantage of her. I wouldn't do anything to make you guys think less of me, I promise." _However, I do need to tell her about what happened_ _in there_ , he thought. _Otherwise, it_ would _be termed 'taking advantage'._

"I know," Noah smiled, a dimple appearing in each of his cheeks. "It just kind of shocked me for a minute. Aunt Sharlotte's just always been really…careful when it comes to…things like that."

"And she still is," he told Noah, ruffling his hair. "She had a nightmare and I insisted on staying with her."

"A nightmare," Noah asked. "What kind of nightmare?"

Knowing that revealing the dream to Noah would only worry him, he hedged around the question with a cautious answer. "Well, she wouldn't really tell me about it. I just saw how it affected her. I didn't want her to be alone."

The boy seemed satisfied with John's answer and nodded. "She tries to be strong, even when she's worried about stuff. She won't let me try to help her. And then that makes _me_ worry about _her_."

"Well, you're still a kid, bud," John replied. "You're too young to take on adult worries."

"That's what she tells me," Noah smiled softly.

"And you should listen to her," John smiled back. "Now, what do you say to breakfast? What foods do you like?"

"I usually eat breakfast at school so I don't miss the bus."

A twinkle appeared in the wrestler's eyes then. "Well, how about you go upstairs and get ready for school while I whip something up? And if you miss the bus, I'll drive you to school."

"Really," the boy cried. "That'd be awesome!"

John laughed. "Alright then. What sounds good to ya? Do you like eggs? Pancakes? French toast?"

"French Toast sounds really good," Noah answered, already dashing for the stairs to get ready for school. "Thanks, John!"

Suspecting that Noah would intentionally be late for the bus, John chuckled and headed into the kitchen. He began hunting for the ingredients he needed for the French toast, grabbing eggs, milk, and a loaf of white bread from the refrigerator. He set the different items on the counter top and then he was searching the seasoning rack on the wall for ginger and cinnamon.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte gradually roused from her deep sleep with a smile on her face. She stretched with a soft groan and gasped at the slight, pleasurable ache between her legs. Immediately, the delicious dream she'd had came back to her.

John making love to her.

In vivid detail.

She smiled as she recalled in the dream how he couldn't get her clothes off fast enough; the way he touched her. Regretfully, she managed to open her eyes in spite of the gleaming sunlight filtering into her bedroom.

She was completely puzzled by how vivid the dream was. She remembered John's voice whispering softly to her as she slept, the feel of his fingers tracing parts of her face, his lips brushing over her mouth and neck, eliciting sounds from her that she'd never made in her life.

And then she froze.

"Oh, my God," she whispered, a blush of embarrassment creeping up her face. She touched her fingers to her lips at the faint recollection. Instantly, she realized she'd most likely had her sex dream with John lying in the bed right next to her.

 _Oh, no. What if he witnessed me... What if I was making those noises for real_ , she thought, completely mortified. "He couldn't have. He _didn't,_ " she tried to convince herself.

Sharlotte became aware of the faint scent of cinnamon permeating the air then. Realizing she was starving, she lifted her head and sniffed the air. Grinning, she jumped out of bed and started for the bedroom door when she suddenly felt exposed. Looking down at herself, she grabbed her robe in horror as she found it hanging open. Securing it tightly, and praying John saw nothing, she hurried down the stairs. She ran into the kitchen to find him flipping some slices of French toast on a griddle.

He glanced up at her and smiled. "Good morning, beautiful. Get some sleep?"

Smiling happily when he showed no signs of acting strangely, she nodded. "Actually, I did. Thank you for staying with me."

"I was happy to," John returned her smile. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes," she replied. She gazed longingly at the French toast. "It smells delicious."

"The Cena Family recipe," John grinned with a flash of his dimples. "My mom taught me how to make it when I was younger."

"Well, I can't wait to eat it," she said as John dished the food onto two plates. She glanced around the large room and then looked overhead. "Where's Noah?"

"I fixed his breakfast earlier and then I drove him to school," John answered. He placed the two plates of French toast on the table and then grabbed some heated maple syrup from the microwave.

"You didn't have to go to so much trouble," Sharlotte said, sitting down at the table.

"Don't be silly," he replied, also sitting down. "It was no trouble at all." Then they began to eat the tender, sweet French toast.

"This is amazing," Sharlotte said, after swallowing her first bite. "So yummy."

"Thanks," John said, pleased with her reaction to the food. "Oh, before I forget, you should probably re-hide your spare house key. I didn't want to leave you here alone and asleep with the door unlocked. Noah told me where the key was before I drove him to school so I could get back into the house when I came back."

Sharlotte smiled. "There's no need for me to re-hide the key. I trust you." She could have sworn she saw a blush creeping up the wrestler's handsome face, so she changed the subject. "So, did Noah find out about us sleeping in the same room?"

He swallowed a bite of his food and nodded.

"Yeah, he did. But I handled it well. I told him you had a nightmare and couldn't sleep so I insisted on staying with you. I fibbed a bit also, and told him I slept on the floor."

"Thank you," Sharlotte said softly. "Did he believe you?"

"Yep," he answered. "I let him know I'd never do anything to dishonor you or hurt you."

A tinge of pink lit Sharlotte's face up and she swallowed another bite of French toast, then smiled. "I'm sure he knows that. He's looked up to you for a long time."

"Oh, yeah," John chuckled. " _How_ long?"

"Since you were drafted to RAW in 2005. His hero worship intensified when WWE became PG-rated and-."

"And?"

"And… I allowed him to watch more of you," Sharlotte said softly, avoiding John's eyes.

"Ohhh, I get it," he said teasingly. "I was too… _explicit_ , huh?"

"A… A tad," she admitted. "I'm sorry. I'm just really careful about what I let him-"

"It's okay, Sharlotte," John said softly. He reached over and tilted her chin upward, making her meet his gaze. "I know I was pretty foul-mouthed back then. In fact, I can _still_ have a foul mouth. And I didn't have the best manners. I definitely wasn't exactly kid-friendly. So you didn't upset me or hurt my feelings."

She smiled shyly. "I'm glad. I'd hate to think I did." She forked up another bite of food and looked sad then. "So, what time do you have to leave?"

"Trying to get rid of me already?"

She nearly swallowed her tongue. "No! Of course not! Almost the opposite in fact," she chuckled. "I'm…I'm afraid I'm going to miss you already." A deep blush crept up her face. "That sounds crazy doesn't it?"

"Well, if you're crazy, then so am I. Because I _know_ I'm going to miss you."

She smiled and tried to hide the excessive moisture welling up in her eyes. A single tear fell down her cheek despite her efforts, and she looked down at her hands as she flushed a deeper shade of pink.

"Sharlotte, look at me."

She met his gaze and tried to discretely brush away another tear that fell. John caught her hand in his and reached up, brushing the tears away himself.

"I'm sorry," Sharlotte whispered.

"Shh," John shushed her gently. "You've done nothing to be sorry about. I hate that you're sad about my leaving, but I have to admit that I'm glad you care that much."

"Of course I care," she replied. "You've been a life-saver, John. You've become such a good friend in such a short time. And that's why I feel like I've gone crazy—because we don't even know anything about each other, really."

"Hey…we _will_. We'll learn more about each other in time. Now, stop this 'crazy' talk. Neither of us is crazy," he informed her. He stood and pulled her to her feet so he could hug her. Tightening his arms around her, he spoke softly, "When you sent me that first tweet I knew you'd be someone special in my life from then on."

Sharlotte sniffled back more tears, and chuckled as she pressed her face into his chest. "John, stop…you're going to make me cry more."

"Don't cry," he whispered, pulling back to look into her face. "This isn't 'goodbye'. It's just 'I'll see you again— _soon_ '."

"I wish it was," Sharlotte sighed softly, "but…"

"But what," he asked patiently.

"I can't be selfish, John," she said, meeting his gaze. "You don't get very much free time, and when you _do_ have free time, you should do things _you_ want to do—be with your family, grant wishes to children, and-"

"Listen to me," he said, tilting her chin upward. "I do enjoy those things, and I _will_ continue to do them. But now I have something new to enjoy. Our friendship. And I promise to keep in touch with you, and visit with you and Noah as much as I can."

She managed a shy smile. "Well, I appreciate that, and I look forward to getting to see you. But do NOT tire yourself out by trying to keep up with visiting us and your job and other things you have to do." She paused and then added, "I don't see how you do it all. It exhausts me just to think about it."

"It's in the Cena blood," he chuckled. "We're all naturally restless."

"Just take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will, sweetheart. I always do."

"Need I remind you of your broken neck," she asked, meeting his gaze.

"That was an accident," he said, amused at her raised eyebrow. "And I've been very careful with my neck ever since."

"It scared me to death when I saw it happen," she told him. "I thought… It worried me because..."

"You thought I'd never wrestle again?"

Sharlotte shook her head slightly. "No, not that. I mean, I worried about it for _you_ because I know wrestling's your life. But I was more worried about _you_ —you're health and safety. And after the news came out about your neck injury, I kept seeing online articles stating you'd been in so much pain for a long while—even _before_ you broke your neck—and…" She cut off then, a lump forming in her throat. She swallowed hard and tried again. "I just wanted you to feel better quickly."

John smiled slightly, and tweaked her chin with his thumb and finger. "And I did. You don't have to worry about me, Sharlotte. I'm not glass."

"I know you're not," she replied. "But it doesn't stop me from worrying about you." She hugged him again, laying her head on his shoulder. She giggled then as she caught the scent of his cologne. "You smell _really_ good."

He loved the sound of her happy giggles. And he loved the fact he caused them. Chuckling, he said, "Thanks. You smell pretty nice yourself."

The truth was she smelled amazing. And it was beginning to be very difficult to keep from kissing her. And while he was pretty sure she wouldn't mind a kiss, he knew where kissing would lead…or rather where he'd _want_ kissing to lead. Strait to her bed. But he also knew Sharlotte wasn't the kind of woman to just jump into bed with him. He needed to give her time.

Feeling frustrated yet again, he pulled away. "Well, I hate to…but I think it's time for me to get going."

Her eyes dimmed with sudden sadness, but she quickly recovered and smiled at him. "Okay."

"I wish I could stay," he said softly.

 _I really do_ , he thought incredulously. _I've_ never _met anyone who tempted me to miss a night of work._ _Not even Jasmine affected me that way_.

Sharlotte nodded.

"You don't believe me," John said, more of a statement than a question.

"I…I'm not sure what to believe."

"I really do wish I could stay, beautiful. But if I don't leave now-"

"I know. You'll be late for rehearsals and mess up your schedule for the day. Not to mention possibly being late for the show-"

"I wasn't finished," John smiled as he cut off her chatter. "If I don't leave now, I'm afraid I'll do something we might regret later."

Sharlotte's gray eyes lifted to meet his blue ones. "What d-do you m-mean? I mean…we've become friends—we have some sort of…connection. I know you wouldn't do anything that would-"

"I think there's more than friendship happening between us, Sharlotte. And it's definitely more than just a connection."

She swallowed hard. "Wha-what are you talking about?"

"I really want to kiss you." He watched as her hand rose nervously to her neck, and continued. "And then… I know what kissing you would make me want next. You're an honorable woman, therefore, I need to leave so I don't make you angry at-"

"John…Stop," she said softly. "You don't know what you're saying… I—You don't want-"

"I know exactly what I'm saying. And I know exactly what I want." He raised his hand to her face and brushed the back of his hand over her cheekbone. "I _will_ kiss you, Sharlotte—it's inevitable." He heard her breathing quicken then. "Just, not today. I need to gain some control over myself. I'm afraid of what might happen if I kissed you right now." Seeing confusion in her eyes, he smiled softly and elaborated. "There's no subtle or delicate way to put this… I'm so hard that if I kissed you right now... I'm afraid I'd rip that robe off you and then lay you down on this kitchen table and make love to you."

Sharlotte gasped, and her breaths quickened even more.

"I need to tell you something," John said softly. "And I hope you don't get angry."

"What," she asked, her nerves beyond raw.

"Something sort of happened between us, in your bedroom."

Just when she thought her heart couldn't pound any faster. "Wh-what happened?"

"Your robe had come open a little. And I saw so much of that creamy skin of yours. I sort of kissed you. But only slightly," he told her, watching as her gray eyes widened. "I kissed your neck," he reached up and lightly brushed his fingertip over the soft skin he'd kissed. "And your collarbone..." His finger trailed over her clavicle. "I nipped you—here," he whispered, moving so close to her, his huge frame pinned her to the wall behind them. "And then you whimpered," he smiled softly, watching a blush creep up her pretty face. "And when I kissed you there again, you moaned my name—your moved that gorgeous body against mine."

"John, please," she whispered breathlessly, realizing in horror that he had indeed witnessed her having a sex dream about him. "I'm so embarr-"

"Don't be," John cut her off. "You don't even realize how sexy you are." His eyes roamed over her face and down her slender body. "You haven no idea what a turn-on it was to hear you moaning for me. You arched your back a bit, and I saw more of you—more than I should have. I remember thinking you looked like my very own erotic Sleeping Beauty. I don't know who the lucky man was who got to make love to you for your first time, but I'm jealous as hell," he admitted to her, assuming that despite what she'd told him about dating, she must've had lovers in her past.

Sharlotte looked away, her face flaming.

"I want you to let me know when you're ready," John told her, leaning in closer. "Because when you are, I'm taking you to bed— _my_ bed. And you won't leave it for a long time." He tilted her chin up so she'd meet his gaze. "Okay?"

Her chest shuddered as she breathed. His words turned her on so strongly, they gave her the courage to say, "I-I'm ready. _Now_."

John chuckled, "So am I, gorgeous. But I have to go. We'll have to take a rain check."

Sharlotte nodded shakily then, and tentatively reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck, her eyes wide with caution. "Is it…Can I hug you before you leave?"

"Of course," he answered, pulling her into his embrace. "And again, I'm sorry. I meant no disrespect or anything. I just needed to let you know how you affect me. I don't want to do anything that would hurt you, or make you think less of me."

"You didn't hurt me," she assured him. "And I could never think less of you." She moved her arms to his waist and snuggled against his chest. Feeling his arms close around her again, she whispered, "I'll miss you, John."

"I'll miss you too, sweetheart."

Reluctantly, he pulled away from her, and brushed a light kiss over her forehead. "I'd better go up and get my suitcase."

"One more thing," Sharlotte said, tugging him back by his shirt. A tone of warning was in her voice.

John looked down at her. "Yes?"

"If you ever do anything like that to me again..."

"I'm so sorry, Sharlotte," John immediately felt terrible for his actions with her in the bedroom. "I shouldn't have-"

"You _better_ make sure I'm awake."

He noticed a twinkle in her eyes then and busted out laughing. "Gladly," he said.

Sharlotte nodded and watched as he headed for the stairs. A few seconds later, he returned and gave her a small smile. "I'll see you again— _soon_. Remember, okay?"

She nodded again and managed to fight off more tears which threatened to spill from her eyes. "Thank you so much, for everything. And for breakfast," she added with a smile. "It was delicious."

"It was my pleasure," he said, giving her one last hug.

"And please…Call me when you get to Dallas. Let me know you got there safely," Sharlotte asked. "I'll worry if you don't," she threatened with an attempt at a smile.

"I promise," he said softly. "Just know it'll be a while. It's normally about an eight hour drive for me but I'll speed when I can…" He trailed off at seeing the worry cross her face. "Forget I said that," he chuckled. "I'll be fine, Sharlotte. But I will definitely call you the minute I reach Dallas. It'll probably be around four o'clock, your time."

"Okay, thank you."

John gave her a wink and flashed her a dimpled grin before turning and heading out the front door. A moment later, Sharlotte heard his car start and the crunch of gravel as he pulled out of the driveway.

Immediately she collapsed into her kitchen chair. Tears came instantly.

"I'm so in love with John Cena."

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte walked into the library, trying in vain to clear her mind of everything but the workday she had ahead of her. She ducked into her office and closed the door behind her, hoping she'd have a few minutes to collect herself. So much had happened over the past few weeks. She was absolutely drained and felt as if she probably should have taken the day off so she'd have a three-day weekend to recoup. But she knew that wasn't an option. Not when Julie had left them high and dry. If anything, she would have to have to take on a second job, rather than concern herself over her days off.

A knock at her door jarred her from her thoughts, and she reluctantly called, "Come in."

The door opened then, and Leena stepped into the office. "Hey girl! I thought I saw you come in-" She noticed her friend's bruised cheek underneath her make up then. "Oh, my God! What happened to you?"

Sharlotte sighed heavily. "I can't even begin to tell you right now, Leena. There's just _too much_ too tell. Can we take our lunch break together?"

Obviously curious and worried for her friend, Leena nodded. "Yeah, we have quite a few people working today, so it shouldn't be a problem." She glanced at her watch. "It's ten o'clock now, so we could probably go in the next couple hours."

Sharlotte nodded. "That will work."

"Can you at least tell me if everything's okay?"

Sharlotte met her friend's worried gaze and shrugged slightly. "To be honest... I have no idea," she answered.

"It will be, Sharlotte," Leena replied with an encouraging smile. "It will be." Then she left her friend's office and let her get to work.

The next couple of hours flew by and the two women had lunch across the street at the café Sharlotte often frequented.

"Okay," Leena started, sitting down at a table and opening her bottle of water. "Tell me what happened?" She pushed her shoulder-length dark hair over her shoulders and leaned forward, ready to hear about her friend's previous day.

Sharlotte unscrewed the cap on her bottle of water and took a sip. "I don't know where to begin." She paused a moment collecting her thoughts, and then began her tale of events from the day before. "Well, I called in yesterday to take care of Noah. He had another bullying incident, and I decided to give him a day to just enjoy himself. I took him out for some cell phone shopping and I got him the new WWE video game. We had lunch together too. I think he had a blast. But the problems began later on," she explained. "I received a threat over the phone to not take any legal action regarding Noah's bullying situation." She took a quick bite of her salad, and then continued after swallowing the food. "John said he'd take care of it by getting _Be A Star_ involved-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Leena interrupted. "How does he come in to play in all this," she asked, unable to keep up with the rapid succession of events.

"We were Skyping," Sharlotte answered. "Sorry, I forgot to mention that John had called me and asked if I wanted to Skype with him later in the day."

Leena almost choked on a bite of pineapple. "Oh, my God," she said loudly. "Unbelievable!"

Sharlotte nodded. "Just hang with me, or I'll never get this all told in our one-hour lunch break," she managed a chuckle.

"Wow…do I need to fasten my seatbelt," Leena joked.

"You might consider it," Sharlotte replied. _Especially when she finds out about John staying over at my house last night._ "Anyway, there's the bullying situation I dealt with, but then there's some other stuff too."

"Like?"

"I over-rode Julie's decision to ground Noah from any wrestling. Long story short…she woke up early last night and found Noah watching TNA. John and I were Skyping again and I heard Noah and Julie yelling at each other. I had to cut our conversation short. I ran downstairs just in time to see Julie draw her hand back and smack Noah—right across the face."

"No," Leena gasped. "What was she thinking?"

Sharlotte shook her head. "I don't know. I dove in front of Noah and grabbed her arm to stop her from striking him again. I sent him upstairs so Julie and I could talk and after some…heated words, the next thing I knew my face burned like fire and there was blood on my mouth."

"So that's the bruising on your face," Leena asked in astonishment. "Julie hit you?"

Sharlotte nodded, swallowing past a fresh lump in her throat. "Yeah. And then she left."

"What? You mean to cool off or something?"

"No, I mean she _left_ —as in, I'm Noah's sole guardian now."

"Oh, my goodness…I'm so sorry, Sharly."

"It's really scary to know I'm the only income and now I have a child to raise on my own," Sharlotte said softly. "The reality hasn't hit yet. I'm afraid of when it does."

"You should have called me," Leena said, reaching over and squeezing her hand. "I could have come over to be with you for support, and the boys could have had a sleep over or something."

Sharlotte hesitated. She didn't know how to tell her friend about having a male stay overnight in her home.

"Well," she started, "I kind of already had some unexpected company, so…"

"So….what?"

"John sort of came to my house late last night."

This time, Leena spewed a mouthful of water just barely missing Sharlotte's shoulder.

"What?!"

"I couldn't believe it myself," Sharlotte chuckled at Leena's reaction. "He was standing on my porch…" she trailed off remembering how handsome he'd looked waiting for her on the large porch. _He was a light in my darkness_ , she thought her face taking on a dreamy expression.

"Hey!" Leena snapped her fingers in front of Sharlotte's face. "Come back! Tell me about seeing him!" She giggled when her friend seemed to sail back to reality.

"He was so…sweet. And he held me so tightly." Sharlotte felt her face flame. She looked at Leena then. "He came that whole way because…" she paused remembering he had more than one reason. "Because he saw my fall in my long program, and he said it scared him so badly he needed to see me. And he told me as he was driving to Tallahassee, he felt me needing to see him as well."

"That _is_ sweet," Leena agreed. "So how long did he stay?"

"He stayed the night," Sharlotte answered honestly.

"Really," Leena gasped. "In a separate bedroom?"

"It started out that way. I didn't do anything," she said quickly, spotting the astonishment in Leena's brown eyes. "I had a nightmare, and I sleepwalked. He made me stay in the same room with him because I was so scared."

"I'm not judging you," Leena said gently. "I was just shocked is all."

Sharlotte nodded. She decided to leave out the comments John had made about what would happen if he kissed her.

Her phone dinged then, signifying a text message from John. She snatched up her phone in a hurry, worried about why he was texting her instead of calling her.

" _I'm fine, don't worry_ ," the message read. " _Just wanted you to know that I'm about halfway to Dallas_."

She smiled at his thoughtfulness as well as at his ability to read her mind, when another message dinged its arrival.

"What does it say," Leena asked, assuming from the smile on Sharlotte's face, that the message was from John.

"He let me know he's halfway to Dallas. I told him to let me know when he arrives because I'll worry if he doesn't."

"What about the second message," Leena asked, leaning forward. "Anything good?"

Sharlotte hurriedly opened the next text and then smiled again, a flush creeping up her pretty face. "It says, ' _I miss you_ '."

"He's such a doll," Leena cried. "He's just adorable! I wish he had a twin brother."

Sharlotte barely heard her as she quickly texted John back.

" _You'd better not be texting while driving, John Cena_!"

A few seconds later she received another text from him.

" _Nope. I'm filling up with gasoline at the moment. Now, stop worrying_! _Will talk to you soon_. ;)"

Smiling dreamily, Sharlotte sent him a quick goodbye message and turned her attention back to Leena and finished eating her lunch.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Bullying

 

_**Chapter 17** _

 

 

Noah stepped down from the school bus and tried his best to ignore the heckling going on behind him. Thankfully, the school kids hadn't bothered him physically over the day's time, but they had made up for it in verbal abuse.

"You're aunt's a slut," shouted one boy.

"She's as big a baby as you are," another bully chimed in. "And she's going to get hurt if she doesn't shut her mouth," he added.

He'd glared at the boys, but he knew better than to say anything. His first instinct was to lunge and attack the foul-mouthed tormentors for insulting his aunt, but they were growing even more vicious in their verbal attacks, so he figured if he _did_ say or do anything, the physical attacks would be escalated as well.

Frustrated beyond belief, Noah walked up the driveway and noticed Julie's car was not in the drive. _Weird_ , he thought. _She's usually home sleeping at this time. Maybe she had to work a double shift._ It certainly wasn't unheard of.

In truth, the notion calmed him a little. The boy was not yet ready to face his mother after everything that transpired the night before. Stepping onto the porch, he grabbed his house key out of his backpack and unlocked the door, hurrying inside to the sanctity of his home. He quickly locked the door, seemingly fearful that one of his bullies could appear on his porch and barge their way inside at any moment.

Knowing Sharlotte would be home in a couple of hours, he took his backpack into the kitchen and pulled out his textbooks, setting them on the large kitchen table so he could begin working on his homework. Having been unable to eat at lunch, his stomach rumbled loudly so he grabbed a package of peanut butter crackers out of the pantry and then took a can of soda out of the refrigerator.

Noah sat back down at the table with his snack and pulled his math book toward him, prepared to finish the last few problems on his assignment. However, he found his mind quickly drifting back to his worries instead.

 _Will this ever be over_ , he wondered, taking a bite of one of his crackers. _What will make them leave me alone_? _What has to happen for the teachers and principle to help me_? He pushed his book aside for the moment and tried to clear his head. He debated on saving his homework for the weekend. He knew if he finished the assignments quickly, his mind would then be free to think and worry about the situation at hand. But if he saved the homework for Saturday or Sunday, he'd have something to occupy his mind so he wouldn't dwell on his bullying problem.

His decision being made, Noah packed up his books and decided to watch TV till Sharlotte returned home.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte walked into the house and hung her purse on one of the coat hooks in the hallway.

"Noah," she called out. She was eager to hear how his day went.

"Yeah, Aunt Sharlotte," her nephew called from the living room. He appeared a second later and attempted a smile for her.

"Hey, kiddo," she greeted him, ruffling his brown hair. "How did your day go?"

"It was…okay," he replied. "Nobody hit me or anything."

"Nobody hit you…" Sharlotte repeated, reading between the lines. "Did they say anything to you?"

Noah's shoulders slumped as he debated on his answer.

"Noah, tell me," she coaxed. "I need to know if anything happened—anything at all."

"They…they started calling you names…"

" _Me_ ," she clarified. "Well, what did they say about me?"

"They said you're as big a baby as me," Noah answered, avoiding her eyes. He hoped she wouldn't pry too much. He didn't want to tell her about the threat made against her. He was sure it was just an empty threat intended to bother him more than anything else and he hated to worry her with it.

"Why do I get the feeling you're hiding something," Sharlotte asked with a slight chuckle. "It's not going to hurt my feelings Noah. We both know they're just a bunch of mean-spirited kids."

He nodded, and hesitantly spoke. "They called you a slut."

Now, she completely busted out laughing. "Okay, they're a bunch of mean-spirited kids who have absolutely no clue as to what they're talking about, right?"

Noah seemed to relax then and smiled slightly, revealing a new tooth now growing from the gap he'd had. "Right."

"There's still something rolling around in that brain of yours," Sharlotte chuckled. "What else did they say?"

Noah shook his head adamantly, "Nothing. That was all-"

"Noah," Sharlotte said gently. "If you don't tell me everything, it's just going to eat at you. Tell me. It won't hurt me, I promise."

Noah avoided her eyes as he spoke softly, "One of them said you're gonna get hurt if you don't shut your mouth."

 _That's a third threat_ , she thought, hiding the fact that she had a chill running up her spine. "Okay," Sharlotte finally said. "So… I have a somewhat crazy idea."

The young boy looked highly curious and more than just a little anxious. "What kind of crazy idea?"

"Well," she hedged, and pulled the boy into a hug. "I'm thinking since school lets out for summer the first part of June, and we're already halfway through May… What if I take you out of school for the remainder of the year? I can mention in the interview Monday that you're still being verbally harassed and I refuse to make you go through the abuse. Maybe between such drastic action, and _Be a Star_ , we can light a fire under the principal and the superintendent and actually get them to put an end to the bullying."

"Really," Noah cried. "I can just quit for the year? Will I have to re-do the fifth grade?"

"No, you can take an equivalency test for the sixth grade. Since you're only about two weeks from summer break anyway, I'm sure there wouldn't be too much more stuff for you to learn. I'm sure you'd do fine on the exam."

"What about my books I brought home for homework? And my locker still has some stuff in it."

"I can take care of all that Monday after the interviews. Any more questions," Sharlotte teased, ruffling his hair again.

"What about Mom? What will _she_ say?"

Sharlotte paled. She'd nearly let herself forget about telling him his mother had left them high and dry.

"Um…yeah, about your Mom… Noah, let's go into the kitchen and talk, okay?"

"Okay…" he said uncertainly, allowing his aunt to lead him into the kitchen.

"Are you hungry," she asked, pulling a bottle of water out of the fridge. "Do you want a little snack before supper or anything?"

Noah shook his head as Sharlotte sat down at the table across from him. "No, I had some peanut butter crackers earlier. I'm fine till supper." He watched as she took a long drink from her water. "Aunt Sharlotte…what's going on? Where's Mom?"

 _God, help me_ , she prayed silently. _Help me to be enough for him_. "Noah, I'm sure you heard the argument between me and Julie last night—right?"

He nodded sadly at the memory. "She hit you."

"Yes," she admitted. "She did. She hit both of us. And she and I said some very bad things to each other."

" _She_ was saying bad things," Noah retorted. "You were only being truthful. You _are_ the one who's taken care of me. She had no right to hit you just because she resents you for it. If she wanted to be my mom, she should have been there for me!"

Sharlotte gasped at the boy's anger. "Noah, honey, I'm so sorry she's made you feel this way. But I _did_ let anger get the best of me. No, she didn't have the right to hit either one of us, but I _did_ say some mean things to her as well. And I hope you don't hate me for what I'm about to tell you."

"What is it," Noah asked worriedly.

"Your mother left me a note on her pillow last night, and informed me she was leaving us."

For a moment, the boy sat as still as a statue and Sharlotte wondered if he'd even heard her. "Noah? Did you hear-"

"She left us?"

"Yes, baby. She left us—permanently. But try not to be angry at her, Noah. She apologized for everything in the note. She knows I-"

"She _should've_ apologized!"

With that, he shot from the table and ran from the kitchen. Sharlotte heard his footsteps run up the stairs and a couple of seconds later, his bedroom door slammed shut.

Her eyes filled with tears as she battled through her thoughts.

 _I hope we won't be scarred by this_. _I hope I can raise him properly_. _I'll have to do the best I can and just be there for him._

Calming herself with a few deep breaths, she stood to her feet and began searching for something to cook for supper.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte laid her copy of _The Great Gatsby_ aside and got off her bed as she heard Skype ringing a call through on her laptop. She sat down at her desk and accepted the call. A second later, John's face appeared on her screen.

"Hey, beautiful," he greeted. "I just wanted to check in with you and see how your day went."

Smiling softly, she rested her chin on her hand. "It was okay. How about you?"

"No, no, no, I can wait," he said. "What happened with you?"

Securing her hair up into a ponytail, she said, "I decided to take Noah out of school for the remainder of the year."

"Why," John asked. "Is the bullying getting even worse?"

"For him it is," Sharlotte answered. "They've started calling _me_ names now, and even tossing threats my way. I'm just hoping the principal will see how dead serious I am and that they'll make an effort to stop the bullying problem in the school," she explained. "I'm sure Noah isn't the only child being tormented."

"Probably not," he agreed. "I'm sure the Be A Star interviews you have Monday will help too," he added. "It'll be fine, Sharlotte. Try not to worry, okay?"

She nodded wordlessly, and John saw her gaze sadden some more. "I get the feeling more happened. What are you not telling me?"

She realized her face must have given away the fact that she indeed had more on her mind. Not wanting to bring up Noah's mother, however, she fibbed a little.

Smiling warmly at him, she replied, "Oh, there's nothing else. I'm just emotionally drained. Don't worry."

"So, other than Noah's situation, how are you holding up?"

"Actually, since I made the decision to pull him out of school, I feel very relieved. He's actually mature enough to stay here at the house alone during the day. At least I know he'll be safe here," Sharlotte answered, rolling her neck to release some tension in her muscles.

John nodded. "I'm relieved too. I'm sure this will all get worked out. It's just going to take a little time."

She nodded and smiled apologetically at him then. "And I'm sorry, I've taken so much time to talk about my problems…How was _your_ day? Have you had your match yet," she asked, glancing at her watch.

"No, not yet," he replied. "I actually need to go get warmed up, but I wanted to call and check up on you guys first."

"Well, thanks—that's very sweet of you. I appreciate it," Sharlotte smiled. "Do you have another minute," she asked him, her gaze shifting shyly downward.

"Of course," he answered, flashing his dimples at her. "What's on your mind?"

"I was wondering if you could… Well, I know you can't give away story lines and things like that… But would you be able to kind of let me know when you have an injury angle? I mean… I don't expect you to spoil anything, but just… Maybe you could give me a call ahead of time to say, 'Hey, I'm gonna get a little banged up tonight, don't freak out if I act like I'm really hurt,'—so I won't worry as much?"

John chuckled. "You got it, beautiful."

She smiled at him and let out a small sigh. "Thank you."

"So, it scares you when you think I'm hurt, huh," he teased.

"Yes, it does," Sharlotte admitted, a flush creeping up her neck to her face. "And it drives me crazy when I don't know if it's for real or not."

"I promise, I'll let you know ahead of time if I'm supposed to get 'injured'," he chuckled, holding up his fingers and forming quotations. "And if I ever get hurt for real, I'll call you as soon as I'm able, to let you know I'm okay."

"And you're a man of your word, so I'm holding you to that," she said, mischievously pointing her finger at him.

John smiled and started to speak when something got his attention off-screen.

Sharlotte realized someone was talking to him when he spoke up. "Yeah, I'm almost ready," he said. Then he glanced at her through the screen before looking away again and calling out: "Hey, Cesaro, come over here. I want you to meet a friend of mine."

She nearly swallowed her tongue. To be so nonchalantly introduced to another member of the WWE roster was quite a shock.

In the next instant Antonio Cesaro was standing over John's shoulder and gave a slight wave to her. "Hello there, Sharlotte. I've heard a lot about you."

Despite his somewhat friendly greeting, there was almost a challenge in Cesaro's demeanor. Sharlotte wasn't sure what she should say, so she just tried to keep it simple and polite. "Well, it was all good, I hope," she chuckled nervously, and cast a weary glance at John before settling her gaze back on Cesaro. "It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Cesaro."

Cesaro's brown eyes seemed to study her intently for a moment before answering. "Yeah… It's nice to meet you too. Then he patted John on the shoulder. "We should get ready for our match, eh?"

He was clearly dismissing Sharlotte.

"Yeah," John reluctantly agreed. He shot an apologetic glance back at Sharlotte. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Though stung by Cesaro's scrutiny, she perked back up at John's warm farewell. She nodded, "I can't wait."

"Me either," John replied, giving her an adorable wink. "Later, beautiful."

"Be safe, John."

He nodded. "Don't worry about me," he smiled softly. "I'll be fine."

"Okay," Sharlotte said. "I'll talk to you later then."

He smiled at her again with a slight nod and she caught the glare he shot in Cesaro's direction as he closed out of Skype.

"Well, I guess it's plain to see Cesaro isn't happy with John associating with me," she said sadly. "What in the world did I do wrong," she asked herself, flopping across her bed. She curled up on her side, preparing to catch a nap before John called her again. "He's probably just trying to look out for John," she reasoned. "Ugh… I'm too tired to stress over yet another problem. It'll work out fine."

With that, she snuggled into her pillow—which now held John's scent, and prepared to doze for a while.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

"Cesaro, what the hell's your problem," John asked as they headed to gorilla. "You were beyond rude to Sharlotte. Take it easy on her, man."

Cesaro turned and looked at John. "I didn't actually mean to be _rude_ to her. I'm just skeptical of her, is all." He stretched his arms one last time before his entrance theme played. "You have to admit, she's gotten a lot of your attention as of late—and right after you broke up with Jasmine, no less. She just seems…"

"What," John asked, growing agitated. "She seems what?"

"I don't know, really," Cesaro shrugged. "Like…maybe an…opportunist."

John cracked his neck. "Cesaro…I have to ask you this. Are you _trying_ to turn our match into an actual fight?"

"Whoa, man," Cesaro held his hands up in an offer of truce. "I didn't mean any offense. I'm just telling you what I see, and how it looks to me. I'm just trying to look out for you. I don't usually say this to my friends…well, _ever…_ but I care about you. I don't want you to make another mistake, like with Jasmine." He stared at John, "So…you don't have any bad feelings about this Sharlotte? You don't think she's just trying to…take advantage of you?"

John instantly shook his head. "No. Not at all. She's for real." He bent his leg up behind him to stretch his quads. "But thanks for looking out for me."

"Well…how can you be so sure she's for real," Cesaro asked. "I mean…are you just going by instinct?"

"Yeah," John nodded. "My instincts have always been pretty impeccable, Cesaro—except where Jasmine was concerned." He bent his other leg to stretch then. "And I also noticed some other things."

"Like?"

"Well, _I_ initiated the friendship. Sharlotte tweeted me first, but I took it from there. She had no way of knowing I'd be interested in being friends with her. And she's just too…innocent. Nobody can fake innocence like hers. She blushes, and gets flustered easily. It's real. I can't explain it in words, I just know."

"Okay, fair enough," Cesaro said with a shrug. "Tell her I'm sorry for being rude when you talk to her later, okay?"

John smiled. "Yeah. I'll tell her. Thanks, man."

Cesaro's theme blared through the sound system then.

"Well, see you out there," Cesaro clapped John on the back and then headed out onto the ramp to work the crowd before stepping into the ring.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

_Monday Morning…  
Tampa, Florida_

 

John was packing up the last of the clothes and ring gear he would need for his trip to Oklahoma, when his phone rang. Pulling it out of his pocket quickly in the hopes of the caller being Sharlotte, he glanced at the Caller ID.

And then groaned.

 _Jasmine_.

In a hurry to get the phone call over with, he tapped the screen and answered, "What is it, Jasmine? And make it fast. I'm about to leave for-"

" _How could you, John,_ " came Jasmine's shrieking voice.

"God, Jasmine—for once in your pathetic life, would you stop with the theatrics and get to the point," John finally lost his temper and shouted at her. "What'd I do now?"

" _There's a report on TMZ's website showing photos of you going into that home wrecker's house and staying the night on Thursday_!"

His head dropped in defeat.

 _How the hell did they find out_? _Who took the photos_ , he wondered.

"Jasmine—not that it's any of your business now—but nothing happened. Sharlotte isn't like that-"

" _Don't hand me that_ ," Jasmine growled. " _You can't tell me she isn't playing you like a fiddle_! _And besides all that_ — _you screwed one sister all those years ago, and now you're trying to tap the other one_!"

"Okay, first of all—you've lost me yet again. Secondly, let me clear this up for you, Jasmine. I care about Sharlotte—a lot. And she cares about me. She's not really the type to jump into bed with a man right away, okay? But if—and when—she's ready, I _will_ gladly take her to bed. And you're going to have to get over that fact. It's over, Jasmine. It's over between us—forever."

" _She's her sister, you idiot_ ," Jasmine screamed in rage. " _She's her sister_!"

"Whose sister, Jasmine," John asked, sitting down on his bed and massaging his temples. The beginnings of a bad headache were starting behind his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

" _Sharlotte Taylor's sister is_ Julie _Taylor_! You know…the woman you cheated on me with long before we got engaged!"

"So what, Jasmine," he spouted off. " _You_ cheated on _me_ countless times! Yes, cheating on you in revenge was wrong of me, but-"

All at once, the first part of Jasmine's statement got through to him.

 _Julie_ … _It can't be_ , John thought, reeling from the information. _No way._

But then he thought of both Julie and Sharlotte. They highly resembled, from what he could remember of Julie. They had only a couple differences in their appearances—Julie was brunette and had brown eyes while Sharlotte was blond and had gray eyes.

Suddenly, his mind darted over to Noah.

"Oh, my God," he uttered.

" _Exactly_ ," screamed Jasmine over the phone, not realizing John's train of thought was elsewhere. " _Wait till Sharlotte finds out_ ," she taunted. " _I can't wait to hear her voice when I tell_ -"

"You're not going to say a word to her or I will use your sex tape against you," John said calmly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

" _You threaten me with that every damned time we talk_ ," Jasmine growled. " _You're bark is worse than your bite. But one day, John Cena, you'll find out it won't be enough to keep me from paying you back_."

"Whatever," John said distractedly and then disconnected the call.

He lay back on his bed and thought hard. He pictured Noah's brown hair, his blue eyes, the dimples in his cheeks and the cleft of his chin. It was like looking at himself twenty-four years prior. He also thought of the timing. _Julie and I had our one-night-stand about ten years ago._

Time enough for Julie to have gotten pregnant and given birth to a baby.

 _And Julie had been shy like Sharlotte_ _ _also__ _,_ John thought _._ _Definitely not the type to typically_ _ _sleep around__. _Which means_...

"My God," he whispered as realization dawned. "Noah is my son."


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Moderate sexual situations. 18+ ONLY

 

_**Chapter 18** _

 

 

Sharlotte awoke to the sound of her cell phone alerting her to a tweet being directed to her. Groaning sleepily, she grabbed the phone off her night table and checked the notification. Instantly she saw where she'd accumulated about twenty five tweets. She glanced at each one growing more confused by the second.

Each message accused her of being a "whore" or "slut" in so many words, and were laced with venomous attacks. She grew a little calmer after checking the Twitter accounts, however, because they all appeared to belong to female teenage wrestling fans.

Realization dawned then.

"Cena Fangirls," she chuckled, shaking her head. "They've just discovered John's tweets to me, I bet," she considered. Chuckling again, she silenced the text and Twitter notifications app, and placed the phone back on her night table.

 _If I ignore them, they'll stop sooner or later_ , she thought. _Though I'm sure there are a few unstables I'll need to block._

She glanced at her bed-side clock then and noted that she had another half hour to rest before she had to get up and start her day.

 _A_ big _day_ , she elaborated to herself. _I'll need to finish cleaning the house, before everyone arrives for the interviews, but I'm sure Noah will help me finish up_.

She smiled at the memory of how her nephew had acted over the weekend. He'd laughed a lot and seemed lighthearted, more at ease. It was a relief to see him so upbeat and back to his old self.

The thought of cleaning the house and having to get dressed up to do the interviews entered her mind again and she decided to take advantage of the start of her day by getting the proper rest. _It's not every week I get a Monday off_ , she thought snuggling back into her pillow. _I need to remember to thank Emilia for being so understanding about all of this_.

Closing her eyes, she dozed for the next few minutes and then came awake when her alarm finally went off. She stretched contentedly, then climbed out of her cozy bed and pulled her robe on. Grabbing a hairband off her dresser she secured her hair up into a messy bun and grabbed a pair of jean shorts and a purple tank top. She quickly pulled them on and headed downstairs to fix some breakfast for Noah.

Upon going downstairs and entering the living room, she discovered Noah had apparently beaten her to not only getting out of bed, but also in finishing the chores. Touched, she called out his name and headed toward the kitchen to find him.

"Noah, where are you," she called, smiling.

"In here!"

His voice came from the direction of the kitchen, but when she entered the room, he was nowhere in sight. However, a second later, he walked through the laundry room door which was just off the kitchen. "What is it, Aunt Sharlotte?"

She smiled at seeing him carrying a laundry basket.

 _He's still working, bless his heart_ , she thought.

Walking up to him, she took the basket from him and set it on the kitchen table, then took him in her arms.

"I just wanted to thank you for the hard work you've done," she said, kissing the top of his head. "I fully intended to clean up around here and you beat me to it. Thank you."

Noah smiled in return. "I wanted to do something special for you. I know how hard you work between taking care of me and your job, so I wanted to make today easier for you so you can get a little rest."

"You are an amazing kid, you know that," Sharlotte asked, hugging him close. "If I ever have a child of my own, I couldn't ask for anything more if they turn out like you."

Noah looked up at her hopefully. "Really?"

"Yes, 'really'," Sharlotte answered softly. "You are a blessing to me."

He grinned then, his twin dimples appearing. "If you ever _do_ have a baby, can I call them my brother or sister?"

She laughed, "Why not? I know you'd make a great brother. _And_ they'd be growing up with you, so I imagine they'd think of you as a brother anyway."

He looked down at his hands. "I have something to ask you, Aunt Sharlotte."

"Well, ask away," she prodded, sitting down at the kitchen table to sort through the clean laundry in the basket. He sat down at the table next to her, and looked hesitant. Sharlotte stopped what she was doing and glanced over at him. "What is it, Noah?"

"I'm afraid I'll sound like a bad person…" he said softly.

"Noah, you are NOT a bad person," she told him, reaching over and patting his hand. "And no matter what you're about to ask me, I will not think badly of you."

"Promise?"

"I promise," she smiled. "Now, what's bothering you?"

"I was sort of hoping…" he said slowly, "that since _she_ left me…" Sharlotte knew by 'she' he meant Julie. "And since you've always taken care of me…" he puffed out a sigh as he battled to get the words out, "...Would it be okay, if… if I called you 'Mom'?"

Sharlotte was flabbergasted. _Why didn't I see that one coming_ , she wondered inwardly smacking herself.

"Well, Noah…" she started. She looked over and saw his hopeful face, and it was almost her downfall. "I'm not sure," she answered. "I mean, you aren't doing a bad thing by asking that of me, it's just…"

"What," Noah asked. "What's wrong with me calling you 'Mom'?"

"Nothing, really," Sharlotte said. "It's just…I think I'd feel a little selfish if you did."

"But you shouldn't," he answered. "It'd be my choice. It's not like you're making me do it. And besides…adopted kids call their adoptive parents 'Mom and Dad', don't they?"

Sharlotte nodded. "Of course."

"Well, you raised me. And now Mom's left me in your care…so you've kind of adopted me."

Sharlotte smiled. He had her there.

"Yes, I suppose you're right, although I've not _officially_ adopted you. However, if your mom does get in contact with me at all, I'm going to see about her letting me have custody of you so I _can_ legally adopt you."

"So I can call you 'Mom'?"

Sharlotte grinned, a twinkle in her gray eyes. "If I can call you my son."

"You'd do that," Noah asked happily.

"You better believe it," Sharlotte chuckled. "You are the best little boy a mother could dream of having—so of course I want to call you my son."

Noah jumped up out of his chair and launched himself at her, hugging her close. Sharlotte giggled as she nearly fell out of her chair. "Easy now," she squealed.

"Sorry…Mom," Noah said smiling.

"No problem…son," Sharlotte returned. She ruffled his hair then. "Why don't you go play some video games or whatever you feel up to doing and get a start on your premature summer vacay?"

"You don't want help with the laundry?"

Sharlotte shook her head smiling warmly. "You've done enough for me today. Have you had breakfast?"

Noah nodded, "Yep. I fixed a bowl of Fruity Pebbles."

"You know," she replied, "I think that sounds pretty good too."

"Want me to fix it for you," Noah asked.

She stood to her feet then and grabbed a cereal bowl out of the cabinet. "No, I can handle it fine. Go play and have some fun!"

Grinning happily, Noah ran off to his room to enjoy the rest of his day.

Sharlotte fixed her breakfast and thought about what Noah had asked of her. It shocked her at first, but then she thought, _Why shouldn't I treat him as my son_? _Julie never did and he does_ need _a mother figure._ She sat down at the table and ate her cereal, deep in thought.

 

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John slowly came out of his shocked stupor and sat up on his bed.

"I need the night off," he thought out loud, beginning to strategize. "I need to tell Sharlotte about all this—God, how will I do it? How can I tell her I slept with her sister? She really _will_ think I'm just a womanizer—even though it was years ago." His thoughts wandered back to Noah then. "And I had no idea... I didn't even know I had a son. And how will _he_ take it? What if he thinks I didn't want him? There's no telling what Julie told him if she was bitter toward me."

Shaking his head to clear it, he grabbed his cell phone. _I'll make the necessary calls to the staff and then head for Tallahassee_ , he thought. _I'll tell Sharlotte about the news report and feel her out_ — _then_ _try to find a gentle way to break the news about Noah to her._

His plan firm in his mind, he quickly tried to call Vince. However, his boss' phone went straight to email. John groaned, realizing the only time's Vince's cell phone was off was during flights. He tried Stephanie next, whom was next in command. Luckily she picked up on the second ring.

" _Stephanie McMahon_ ," she greeted.

"Hi, Steph," John returned. "It's Cena. Do you have a minute?"

" _Sure_ ," she replied. " _It's still a few minutes till I board my flight_."

"Flight," he repeated. "Oh, that's right…you're going to Sharlotte's for the interviews, aren't you?"

" _Yes_ ," she replied. " _Was there something you needed me to tell her_?"

"Actually, there's something _I_ need to tell her myself. I really need the night off."

" _Did you call Daddy_?"

"I tried," John replied. "But I think he's on his flight because it went straight to voice mail."

" _Okay_ ," Stephanie said. " _I can let him know when he reaches Tulsa. Does this have anything to do with the news report and photos posted up on TMZ about you and Sharlotte Taylor_?"

"Yeah, just a little bit," he answered, telling a half-truth. "I need to alert her about it—and it's not something I want to tell her about over the phone. Having photos of her and her home online isn't something a young, single woman wants to discover on her own and without any warning."

" _Yes, you're right_ ," she said. " _I understand completely. I'll let Daddy know asap_. _Oh, and be sure you call Phil. He'll need to know about the change of plan for tonight since you two had a match. Tell him to get in touch with me. I'll be working on rearranging the lineup on my flight to Florida_."

"Thanks, Steph," he said, thankful he didn't have to go into deep detail. "I appreciate it."

"No problem," she answered. "You don't typically take a day off for anything. Anyway, I hope she takes the news well."

"Me too," he responded. "Please don't mention any of this to her. I need to be the one to tell her."

"Don't worry," Stephanie replied. "I won't. It's not my place or my business."

"Thanks again," John said appreciatively. "I'll see ya later." As soon as he ended the call, he was then dialing Phil Brooks and informing him of the lineup changes. He apologized to him for the inconvenience, and ended that call as well. Then, minutes later he had his suitcase in hand and headed out to his car with his plans to see Sharlotte foremost in his mind.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

"My goodness," Sharlotte exclaimed, glancing at yet another alert on her cell phone. "I'm so sorry," she apologized to Stephanie McMahon, Michael Cole, and the WWE camera crew as well as the representatives from _Be A Star_. "I've been getting all sorts of negative tweets fired off at me since this morning," she informed them, shaking her head. "I'll turn my phone of for now, and we won't be disturbed anymore."

"Not a problem," Stephanie informed her kindly. She felt badly that the younger woman didn't realize what was most likely the cause of the tweets. But she'd promised John she wouldn't say a word, so she kept her lips sealed on the subject.

Sharlotte put her phone back in her pocket and the cameramen resumed recording the interview.

"How have you been coping with this bullying situation and the strain it's causing," Michael Cole asked.

"Not very well, I'm afraid," Sharlotte answered honestly. "Noah and I have had a few things happen in addition to the bullying and…well, my worrying about him as well as these other issues, have really impacted my daily life. It's hard to concentrate at work and focus on the everyday things I have to do." She paused then and added, "But then I think of what Noah's going through and…and I know I have to be strong—for him. His well-being means the world to me and it's what keeps me going."

"You say you've had a few other things happen in addition to all this… Can you tell us about them? Do they pertain to the bullying?"

"One situation does, but the others—not so much. One thing that's happened, I don't really wish to talk about—it's too personal. Another thing has actually been a true blessing, but I wish to keep it private," she said, a flush creeping up her face. "And the remaining situation…" She took a deep breath to calm herself. She noticed Stephanie giving her a warm smile and a nod of encouragement. "I'm being threatened."

"Regarding Noah?"

"Yes. Thursday morning, I'd talked to Noah's principle about speaking with Be A Wish, as well as getting authorities involved if he didn't get a handle on the bullying situation. And then the next day, a man called my house and asked me-" Sharlotte halted her words a moment, needing to collect herself.

"It's okay, Sharlotte," Michael said softly. "Take your time."

She nodded and swallowed hard. "He asked me if my kid enjoyed his black eye." She swallowed again. "And then a few days ago, I got another call. A man told me if I caused any more trouble, I'd pay the consequences. On Friday, a boy even told Noah that I'd get hurt if I didn't shut my mouth."

Though she kept a strong appearance while she answered the question, inside she was trembling.

"Did you notify the police," Michael asked her.

"No, I did not," Sharlotte answered. "I was advised to keep quiet about everything till this interview could be conducted, and the information made public. However," she looked directly into the camera then, "if I receive any more threats, I _will_ notify the police."

"Until this ordeal is taken care of, what kinds of precautions are you taking to protect your nephew?"

"Well, Thursday, I kept him out of school. I felt he needed to have a day to just be a kid—to have a little fun. We spent the day together, and while we were out I took him to his doctor to have him checked out. And, thank God, everything was fine other than some bruises and scratches. I also got him a cell phone for emergencies. But now…The bullying has started bothering him for another reason. The kids began calling _me_ names—which is fine by me. It doesn't bother me in the least. But it hurts Noah. I can't make him go through any more of this." She took another deep breath and bravely stated, "I've taken him out of school for the remainder of the year. And he _will not_ be returning to Coleman Elementary. I plan for him to take an equivalency exam so his education doesn't get behind. I'm going to figure out how to send him to a Christian private school I've had my eye on."

"Private school…those can be awfully costly. Will that be difficult for you?"

"Of course," Sharlotte said. "But I'm determined. If I have to work three jobs to accomplish it, I will."

"Do you think bullying will ever stop completely?"

Sharlotte sadly shook her head. "No. I don't. Bullying is nothing new. It's simply getting more publicity in recent years. But bullying will continue for many reasons. One is—simply put, there's just mean people in the world, and unfortunately sometimes their meanness comes out at an early age. Another reason is, there's too many parents and guardians not teaching their children right from wrong. That's not to say all parents are like that," Sharlotte clarified, "I'm not trying to stereotype here, but the fact remains, in _some_ households discipline _is_ a problem. Another reason is when school faculties ignore the issues, and refuse to do anything to stop them—even when they are contacted numerous times about a situation. And sadly, all of this…Only in a perfect world will it all be rectified," she said softly. "But I believe it _can_ be cut down on. And I'm so thrilled to see organizations like _Be A Star_ go to the front-lines in the battle to stop bullying."

"Okay, I think we have enough material from Sharlotte's interview to work with," the reporter stated. "Great stuff," he added smiling at Sharlotte.

"Thank you," Sharlotte returned the smile, as a WWE crew member unhooked her lapel microphone. "I can't thank you all enough for doing this."

"We're happy to," Stephanie interjected. "I just hope it will help the principal to see-"

"Ms. McMahon, do you want any more footage of you addressing this issue," a crew member asked.

"No, I don't think so," she answered. "We already got enough footage of that before we started Sharlotte's interview.

"Alright, then let's get Noah hooked up and get his interview done," the cameraman said, checking his camera to make sure he had enough tape left. Noah rose from the sofa and sat on the chair Sharlotte had sat in moments before, and watched as Michael Cole and the crew prepared him for his interview.

"Well, I should be going now," Stephanie said, also rising to her feet. "It's a little after noon and I still have to do some rescheduling for tonight, and I need to be in Tulsa to make sure things go smoothly."

"Thank you again so much," Sharlotte said, walking with her to the door. They stepped out onto the porch together. "This means so much. It's really put my mind at ease."

"I'm glad. And I hope it helps," Stephanie replied. "When they get through they'll begin working on editing immediately, and should be able to air it tonight during RAW, so don't miss it," she smiled.

Sharlotte smiled in return. "Okay, we won't. Noah wouldn't dare miss a chance to see himself on TV—especially on his favorite TV show."

A car came down the narrow country-like road then, and Stephanie glanced up to make sure her rental wasn't about to be demolished.

"Looks like you've got company," Stephanie smiled with a twinkle in her eye, and motioned toward the road with a nod.

Sharlotte glanced up at the road and despite the bright sun, spotted a red mustang convertible pulling in front of her house. Not recognizing the vehicle, she shielded her eyes from the sunlight and tried to catch a glimpse of the driver as they climbed out of the car. They walked a ways forward and reached some shade, becoming easier to see. Her breath caught in her throat.

 _John_.

"Oh, my God," Sharlotte whispered. "What's he doing here?"

"You should go ask him," Stephanie said teasingly, stepping off the porch. "I'll be going so you two can talk."

Having the distinct feeling that Stephanie knew exactly what was going on, Sharlotte brushed all thoughts aside and ran to John.

"John!" She leaped at him and he laughed, catching her up and swinging her around in his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"What, aren't you happy to see me," he teased, hugging her closer. They both were oblivious to Stephanie smiling in their direction as she pulled out of the driveway and drove away.

She giggled happily. "You know I am! I just wasn't expecting you."

He finally set her back on her feet and took a look at her. Her hair was down in loose golden waves, and she had makeup on. She didn't need the artificial improvement, but he couldn't deny that with it, she was even more breathtaking than usual.

"You look beautiful," he said, reaching up and brushing the back of his hand over her cheek. He saw her face flush and she glanced downward.

"It's the makeup. I don't think you've really gotten to see me with it on. I must look like a totally different person-"

"No," he replied, tapping her chin with his knuckle to silence her. "I didn't mean that. You're still you. It's just an enhancement to me," he explained. "You don't need it to be beautiful."

"Thank you," she said sincerely. She smiled again. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," John replied. "A lot."

"How are you here," Sharlotte asked him. "Tonight's RAW."

"Well," John started, rubbing his hand over his neck. "There's something I need to talk to you about. Can we go inside?"

"Sure. We'll have to go upstairs though. If Noah gets a glimpse of you he'll never get his interview finished," she chuckled. When he didn't laugh in return, she grew nervous. "John…what is it?" She realized then that he would not miss work for just anything. "What's happened? You rarely ever miss a show."

"Come on," he said taking her hand. He quietly led her into the house and was careful to reach the staircase without Noah seeing him. Once they were in the second floor hallway, he led her into her bedroom and closed the door.

"John, please, what's wrong? You're scaring me."

"Have you been online," he finally asked her. "Have you seen any dirt sheets this morning?"

She shook her head, "No. Why?"

He sighed and sat down on her bed. "Somebody took pictures of us the night I stayed over."

She gasped. "What? How?"

"I don't know. From the shots I saw, they used night-vision and it looked like they were possibly across the road hiding in some of the shrubbery or something. They took shots of us hugging, and they were careful to get shots of me taking my suitcase into the house."

"Show me," Sharlotte said, motioning to her laptop. "It's already booted up."

John got up and then sat down at her desk and pulled up TMZ's website and quickly found the report.

"Here," he said, getting up so she could sit and read it. "It's not very long, but with those photos, it doesn't need to be. As they say, 'a picture's worth a thousand words'."

"But we didn't do anything," Sharlotte exclaimed, now looking at the photographs.

"People will draw their conclusions from these photos."

"Oh, my God," she said, reading the short article. "They've identified me." She gaped as she read aloud: " _The woman in the photos has been identified as former Olympic figure skater, Sharlotte Taylor_ — _who is now a local librarian in Tallahassee, Florida. John Cena's taste in women has taken a pretty drastic change, folks. Cue the fangirls' wrath_." She scowled angrily. "So that's why I've gotten so many nasty tweets! She looked at John then. "Why would someone do this?"

"I don't know," he answered. "Normally, my instincts would tell me Jasmine was behind it. But it's not like we are married and she'd get anything out of it. Plus, she was the one who told me about the report, ranting and raving about us. So I don't really think it's her."

Sharlotte shook her head in agreement. "And since you aren't married to her... Whose business is this anyway? I mean, yes, I get that it looks like something happened. But all we actually did was hug, for crying out loud!"

John actually smiled. "That's not _entirely_ true."

"But-"

"I barely kissed your mouth, and I didn't get to make love to you that morning…" he said softly, walking up to her, a mischievous gleam in his blue eyes.

Sharlotte took a cautious step back and he chuckled, taking an even bigger step toward her. Her back hit the bedroom door and she knew she was in trouble.

 _Of course 'trouble' is all in how you look at it_ , she thought wryly as she watched the large, gorgeous man continue making his way over to her.

"But I did much more than just hug you, sweetheart."

John was right in front of her then. He reached out and pulled her close against him, enclosing her in his arms.

Of their own accord, her arms wrapped around his neck and held on for dear life.

"J-John…" she spoke quietly, unsure of what she was actually planning to say.

"In my mind, I've had you over and over again," he said, whispering the words softly. He leaned downward, testing the waters with her.

She couldn't fight the enchanting anticipation of his kiss even if her life depended on it, "I want you so badly it hurts…" she whispered in return.

His face neared hers then and she closed her eyes, her breath trembling past her lips.

John smiled in his own anticipation, and touched his mouth to her forehead.

Sharlotte felt his lips travel downward and brush lightly over each of her closed eyelids and then down further, dusting her cheeks with a couple of soft pecks. His breath brushed over her lips and she knew his mouth was mere seconds away from touching hers.

"If I do this, Sharlotte—if you let me kiss you... you know as well as I do, "friendship" will fly out the window. There'll be no turning back," he whispered, his voice low, but intense.

"I-I know…" she returned softly, her voice shaking slightly. Butterflies invaded her stomach. "Please, John..."

Deciding to draw out the moment, John leaned down and tasted the skin of her neck as he had before. "You taste so good," he mumbled in her ear. His lips found the tender skin behind her ear then trailed downward, placing soft kisses down the curve of her neck.

Sharlotte whimpered slightly, and angled her head to the side, giving him easier access. Goosebumps rose up on her entire body as his mouth kissed her skin.

Growing slightly frustrated, John reached up and began unbuttoning her maroon-colored blouse. Each new flash of skin that appeared as he unbuttoned the closures, his lips brushed over. Finally he had all the buttons undone, and opened the blouse completely, then pulled back to look his fill of the beautiful porcelain doll in front of him.

"You're breathtaking," he whispered, eyeing the lacy black bra's contrast against her milky white skin. He wasted no time in dipping his head low, skimming the top of one of her breasts with his teeth.

"John..." Sharlotte moaned softly, dropping her head back against the door behind her. Her fingers clutched at his neck and head as his mouth trailed over her burning skin. In the next instant, she felt his hands on both her breasts. Cupping his hands underneath them, he pushed them up a little ways so his mouth could reach them. She felt his tongue brushing over the tip of one through the lace of her bra. Her legs nearly buckled. She cried out softly, digging her fingernails into his neck as his tongue and teeth continued their erotic assault. Just when she thought she couldn't possibly feel any more, his mouth did something amazing and elicited a new sound from her.

"I love those little noises you make," he whispered around her breast. "You're so responsive. I can't wait to have you in my bed. We're going to be explosive together." He took her hips in his hands and tugged them against his, allowing her to feel his blatant arousal. "See," he said, hearing her soft gasp. "That's what you do to me."

Sharlotte moaned deep in her throat, and tentatively reached down, touching him through his jeans. Rubbing her hand along his length, she looked up at him, wonder in her eyes. "So hard," she whispered in amazement.

 _How will he ever fit inside me_ , she wondered, growing a little frightened and feeling as if she'd bitten off much more than she could chew.

John's teeth clenched, and he struggled to not shout as he said, "Yeah, and it's gonna get a lot harder if you keep doing that."

She immediately pulled her hand back, but John didn't let her move away from him. He kept her close to his body and bent downward as his hand slid of to one of her breasts. He pulled the cup of her bra down and gently stroked the soft globe in his large hand, running the pad of his thumb over the peak. He smiled when he saw her shudder and close her eyes, a dreamy expression on her face. He lowered his mouth to hers, a soft brush of his lips over hers.

Sharlotte sighed against his mouth, feeling so much all at once. She couldn't comprehend the sensations flooding her body. She cried out softly as his fingers lightly pinched the rose-colored tip of her breast and then...

Suddenly, John's hands and mouth left her and he uttered a sharp curse as he grabbed his phone from his jeans pocket.

"You've got to be kidding me," he growled, looking at the phone's screen.

"What do you want," he demanded, his tone a sharp contrast to what it was just a moment before.

Sharlotte braced herself, leaning against the wall behind her, and struggled to catch her breath. She'd felt so amazing, and was pretty sure she was going to feel even more amazing if John could've continued his ministrations.

She could hear Jasmine's voice over the phone, despite John's attempt to hide it.

" _With your little rebound whore_?"

Sharlotte gasped softly, and her gray eyes widened in horror. _Is that what I am_ , she asked herself. _Am I just a rebound_? _Something to help him get over Jasmine_?

"She's not a rebound, Jasmine. Honestly, I'm done. _This_ is done. Do you understand? I'm not taking your calls anymore."

He tapped the screen and ended the call, then turned back toward Sharlotte. And he knew then Jasmine had screwed him over royally.

Sharlottee was breathing hard as she worked at buttoning her blouse with shaking hands. He could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes.

"Sharlotte?"

"This was a mistake," she said softly. "I'm not going to be a rebound, John. I-"

"You're not," he said softly, turning her to face him. "I have never done rebounds in my life." He swallowed hard. "We can slow things down," he said. "I'm sorry I sprung this on you. Really, I-"

She sighed. "You'd get tired of me. What if I take longer than you're willing to wait. You'd want to break up after so much time with no…no…" She stammered over her word choice and felt her face flaming.

"Sex?"

"See, I can't even just say the word," she said exasperatedly. "I'm too frigid. You'll get tired of that."

"First of all, if what we just did is any indication—you're not 'frigid' in the least. And secondly, did it ever occur to you that I find you refreshing," he asked, flashing his dimples at her. "I work in one of the worldliest industries there is. Before the 'PG' rating in WWE, as you know, it was super graphic. There was nothing the divas wouldn't do. I work around that because I love to wrestle, but promiscuity is _not_ what I look for in a woman."

"Well, what I just allowed you to do was pretty promiscuous," she told him.

"Not when you're intending to be in a relationship," John tossed back at her. "You told me last week that you were ready for this. What's changed?"

"I'm scared," she admitted. "What if this _is_ just a rebound, John? What if you only want sex from me and you've mistaken it to be something more?" A note of panic had entered her voice, and John knew he was losing her. "And then when you get it, you'll be done with me."

"Baby, I don't have all the answers," he said, reaching up and brushing his thumb across her lips. "All I know is that I care do about you, and I'm very attracted to you, but sex is not all I want. I promise, I will do everything I can to not hurt you."

"That's not a guarantee though." She looked down and avoided his gaze as she pulled out of his embrace. "I was so stupid," she chuckled bitterly. "John…" she sighed. "You're a wonderful man. And I could... get very attached to you." She fought tears as she said the hardest words she'd ever speak. "Let's just leave things as they are—be friends. I'd rather have you as a friend than have my heart broken by you and lose you altogether."

With that, she hurried away from him and left her room, not giving him the chance to reply.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Vague discussion about sex

 

_**Chapter 19** _

 

 

While the WWE and _Be A Star_ staff gathered their equipment and prepared to leave, Sharotte took advantage of the fact that Noah had all of John's attention. While the two laughed and talked with each other in the living room, she hurried to the kitchen and quickly called Leena.

Thankfully, her friend answered on the first ring.

" _Hello_? _Sharlotte_?"

"Yeah, it's me," she replied softly, trying not to be overheard by John. "Listen, I kind of have an emergency…Do you think you and Tyler could come stay over tonight?"

" _Well, I can't stay_ ," Leena replied. " _I promised Emilia I'd be at work early tomorrow. But we_ could _come hang out and watch RAW tonight. And then Tyler could stay over as long as you can take him to school for me_."

"Deal," Sharlotte sighed with relief.

" _Why do you need us over there_? _What's the emergency_? _You haven't received more threats have you_?"

"No, no more threats," she answered, hedging around the real answer. "I wouldn't be asking you to put yourselves in danger by coming over here."

" _Well, then what's the emergency_?"

"John's here and I'm afraid to be alone with him," Sharlotte blurted out, pinching the bridge of her nose.

" _Huh_?"

She sighed. "It's a complicated mess. Could I tell you when you get over here?"

" _Sure, okay. I'll be over soon. I'll have to leave there at three so I can go pick Tyler up from school though, but I shouldn't take very long_."

"That's fine," Sharlotte said. "I'll think of something while you're gone."

" _Sharlotte, what's going on_?!"

"Just get over here," she hissed. "Please!"

With that, she ended the call and sat the cell phone on the counter, hoping Leena would hurry and get to her house.

"I was wondering where you got off to."

Caught by surprise, Sharlotte squealed and spun around to find John watching her with a look of amusement on his face.

"Oh, you," she huffed, putting her hand to her chest. "You scared me!"

John chuckled. "I guess that's easy to do when you're trying to avoid me altogether."

"I-I'm not. I'm not trying to hide from you." She smacked her forehead. "I'm not trying to _avoid_ you."

He stepped a little closer to her and smiled softly. "Then why do you keep disappearing?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sharlotte said, moving away from him again. She took some of the lunch dishes out of the sink and began rinsing them so she could place them in the dishwasher.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," she heard John say a second before he took her arm and gently turned her around to face him. "Ever since our talk up in your room, you've been practically running from me."

She shook her head. "That's not true-"

"Tell me what's wrong."

"I'm afraid to be alone with you."

"Excuse me," John said incredulously. "Why are you afraid of me? You can't think I'd hurt you."

Sharlotte shook her head in frustration. "I'm not afraid of _you_. I'm afraid of being alone with you. Be-because…"

"Spit it out," he said, smirking slightly.

"I want you. So badly," she said, exasperation in her voice. "And it scares me."

"Tell me why it scares you," John prodded, inching closer to her.

"Where's Noah," she asked suddenly. She didn't want him to hear their conversation.

"He's in the living room, watching TV," he answered. He had a look in his eyes that told Sharlotte he wasn't going to give up on their conversation. "I told him I needed to talk to you privately. He won't interrupt us."

"There's company on the way," she continued to try and evade the topic of discussion. "My friend, Leena and her son Tyler. He's a big fan of yours too. Will you mind the company?"

"Not at all," he replied with a slight smile. "And you're not getting off the hook, Sharlotte Taylor. Why does wanting me scare you?"

"Because, you've grown very special to me over the past few weeks," she answered softly. "And I don't want to lose you. I guess I'm scared I'll do something wrong and mess everything up."

"You think I'm not scared of screwing this up," John asked, placing his hands on the counter behind her and caging her in with his arms. "I want you to know, Sharlotte, that I don't take a woman to bed without caring about her. When I was young, sure—I had some one-night-stands. But I've grown up. I look for more than sex in a relationship." He smiled slightly when Sharlotte started to speak. He covered her lips with his finger. "Not done," he teased. "I also want you to know—that I'm not giving up on you. You can keep running, beautiful. But I'm going to keep chasing, too. I don't give up on something I care about." He thought a moment and added, "Do you notice, I never say I want to have sex with you?"

"But you have," she said in astonishment. "You've said it several times!"

He shook his head and chuckled, his dimples flashing. "No. I've always said I want to make love to you. There's a huge difference, Sharlotte. A. _Huge_. Difference. And I can tell you that difference."

Sharlotte, at a loss for words, waited on his explanation.

"Sex is basic. It's one-night-stands. Sex is two random people meeting at a bar and going to bed together. Sex can even be two friends who are bored and have nothing better to do together. Sex," he said, "is _boring_." He shifted his face closer to hers. "Making love, on the other hand, is exciting. Making love is when two people have a connection and true genuine feelings for each other, and they share an amazing emotional and physical experience together. And that's what I want with you," he finished.

John saw Sharlotte's chest raising and descending rapidly, her breaths coming and going in rapid succession.

"I-I... don't know what to say," she whispered finally. "Your words..."

"They're more than words, honey," John said.

She nodded, her hand lifting to her neck and rubbing lightly; a nervous tick she had that John found adorable. "I know. But still... That was beautifully put." A tear spilled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away in frustration. "Oh, I don't know what's wrong with me," Sharlotte cried softly, hugging John closely. "I feel so high-strung lately."

"It's everything going on," John reasoned with her. "Noah's bullying situation, your sister... Me."

She looked up at him. "You're right mostly. But not really about you. You're the _good_ part in all of this." She smiled with a little more hope in her eyes. "Maybe things'll get easier now that I took Noah out of school and everything."

"I'm sure they will," John smiled and gave the back of her neck an affectionate squeeze.

As tense as her muscles were, the soft caress had her fighting the urge to let out a soft moan from the sensation.

John could feel the tightness in her neck and caught the look of relief on her face. "Come here," he said softly, leading her to a kitchen chair. "I think I could crush a pecan against those neck muscles of yours."

Sharlotte laughed and sat down at the table. She felt his hands brush her hair aside and then his fingers gently kneaded into the tense muscles of her shoulders while this thumbs pressed into her neck, relieving the tightness.

This time, she couldn't stop the soft moan from escaping her lips. "That feels amazing," she sighed, dropping her head forward. His thumbs began working downward and pressing into her spine between her shoulder blades. "Oh, my word…" she gasped.

John chuckled. "So you don't get massages very often, huh?"

"Never," she said. "But I'm now considering hiring you on for my own personal benefit. Let me know if you ever consider leaving the wrestling industry. You have a bright new career ahead of you." He kneaded a particularly tight area of her neck then and she groaned in ecstasy. "Oh, sweet mother."

He laughed and continued to massage out the knots in her back and shoulders. The sheer pleasure of relief flooded through her and she felt giddy as a result.

The doorbell rang then and she heard Noah yell from the living room: "I'll get it!"

"Look through the peephole first," Sharlotte called back.

John smiled, happy that his son was being raised by a woman with a good head on her shoulders. At the thought of his son however, his mindset became slightly anxious. _How in the world do I tell them_ , he thought. _Especially now, when Sharlotte's so stressed out. She has so much to deal with right now. And I'm the cause of some of it_ , he felt horrible that he'd added to her worries. He knew then, he needed to wait a while before he told her about Noah. _But I can't wait very long_ , John thought. _I want to be in his life, but I also want to help with his needs._

"Mom, Leena's here!"

Sharlotte heard Noah's shout and realized she'd almost forgotten about Leena's visit. She felt John's hands freeze on her neck.

"'Mom'," he repeated. "Why's he calling you 'Mom'?"

She flushed slightly. "He wanted to—it was his idea. I didn't have the heart to tell him no." She felt horrible for the lie she was about to tell, but she didn't want John to pity her. "My sister...she's...kind of cold-shouldering us. And if she doesn't want to be a mother to him, then I'm happy to be a mother-figure for him."

John bent down and kissed the top of her head. "I wasn't being critical. I'm just surprised that's all."

"I bet not as surprised as I was when he first asked about it," she chuckled.

"Hi," Leena called as she walked through the kitchen door. She froze for an instant at seeing John Cena in Sharlotte's kitchen. Though she'd known about their growing friendship, seeing it in front of her was very surreal. Add in the fact that Cena seemed quite intimate with her at the moment in massaging her neck, Leena was rendered momentarily speechless.

"Hi, Leena," Sharlotte greeted and stood to her feet. She turned to John and smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, John. I feel so much better now." When he smiled in return, she turned back to Leena and formally introduced her to John. "As you know this is John Cena—John, this is my best friend Leena Stevens."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," John smiled politely at Leena and extended his hand to shake hers.

Leena flushed, and let out a small giggle. "Wow, this is amazing. It's wonderful to meet you. I'm a huge fan. So is my son, Tyler. He'll be here after a while—I know he'll be so thrilled to meet you."

"It'll be great to meet _him_ ," John responded, "I love to meet as many of my fans as is possible."

"Would anyone like some iced-tea," Sharlotte asked, heading for the refrigerator.

"Actually, Sharlotte," John said, catching her hand in his. He had a mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes. "I was hoping you'd like to go ice-skating for a little while. I'd love to see you skate," he said. His gaze shifted over to Leena. "If Leena wouldn't mind, that is," he added. "I wouldn't want to offend you. I've just seen a few clips of Sharlotte's skating, and I have to say I was captivated."

"I think that's a great idea," Leena piped up at the same moment Sharlotte said, "I've not skated in forever, John."

"You don't have to do any jumps, Sharly," Leena encouraged. "Although I _still_ say you should have gotten a second opinion about all that. Anyway, I could stay here with Noah till time to get Tyler. Then I could take them for ice-cream or something."

Sharlotte started to protest when John spoke again.

"You don't have to do any jumps," he reiterated, in agreement with Leena. "I wouldn't want you to risk your well-being. But grace like yours doesn't leave. I'd love to see it in person." He saw her resolve weaken and added, "Please?"

She smiled softly and knew she would cave. "I have a really hard time saying 'no' to you," she replied, shaking her head.

"Good to know," he teased, flashing his dimples and wriggling his eyebrows at her.

"Stop that," she laughed, smacking his arm.

Leena smiled at their interactions. She had a good feeling about the two. Inwardly, she dusted off her match-making skills and vowed to do everything she could to help Sharlotte snag the man of her dreams—permanently.

}i{}i{}i{}i{

"You have a key to this place," John asked in surprise as Sharlotte slipped a key into the lock of the currently closed ice rink.

"Yeah. This was nearly my second home at one time, and I became close friends with the owner. She finally handed me a key one day and told me to come as often as I wanted." She pulled the door open then and they stepped inside. She waited till John moved ahead of her and then she re-locked the doors and flipped on some lights. Glancing at the skates John had slung over his broad shoulder, she smiled slightly. "I still can't believe you actually bought new ice-skates just on the chance I'd agree to come up here."

"I knew I'd get you here at one time or the other," he shrugged.

She detected a flash of self-assurance cross his face.

"Awfully cocky, aren't ya," she teased, playfully giving him a gentle elbow to the ribs as she led him toward the rink.

"Not cocky—just confident," he smiled back at her. "I don't quit till I get what I'm after."

She glanced up at him, and knew there was a hidden meaning in his words as he gazed intently at her. Flushing, she hurried ahead of him and headed for the room where the rink's sound system was. She glanced through the CDs and was astounded to find several discs with many of her performance pieces on them.

"Oh, my goodness," she whispered. "I can't believe these are still here." Then she smiled at seeing some of the old titles. Finding a CD with several songs she'd love to hear and skate to again, she popped it into the stereo system and programmed the CD to play. Within seconds, Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata filled the arena. Goosebumps covered her skin and she smiled dreamily, closing her eyes and inhaling the old, passionate feelings of her past.

Finally remembering she'd left John alone at the rink, she hurried down from the sound room and joined him at a bench. She saw he already had his skates on so she quickly pulled off her sneakers and began lacing up her skates while he watched her. He admired her toned, slender legs as she prepped her skates for the ice.

 _I definitely love yoga pants_ , he thought, smiling in appreciation at what the article of clothing did with Sharlotte's figure. Because of said pants, he could see she was a woman who took the utmost care of her body. And the work had certainly paid off. He shook his head in amazement. He was yet to find something about her he didn't like or respect. She had morals, she was beautiful on the inside and out, she believed in exercise and taking care of her body, and she was a complete sweetheart. Not to mention, she was being a wonderful parent— _mother_ —to his son. _Why couldn't I have met her before I met Jasmine_ , he wondered. But then he realized for that to have happened, he would've had to meet her before Julie as well, and if they'd fallen in love at that point, then Noah would've never been born. Plus, Sharlotte would've been too young for him at that time anyway. _Everything happens for a reason, and with the right timing_ , he thought.

Sharlotte finished with her skates then just as Moonlight Sonata ended and suddenly "My Kryptonite" was blasting through the speakers.

"Did you perform to this," John asked, nodding toward the sound system.

She shook her head. "No. My coach had a guy she was coaching the same time as me. I guess some of our music got lumped together." She looked at him and chuckled, "It's kind of fitting to skate with you to this song though."

At first John looked confused, but then realization dawned and he laughed. "Oh, right. Superman."

"I think you'd make a better Batman, however. There's just something about a big, unidentifiable man in black latex that steals my heart," she joked.

A very noticeable blush crept up his face as he took her hand and brushed his lips over the back of it. "I'll have to remember that. But I'd rather _win_ your heart. There's a little more honor in that." He smiled when her mouth dropped open and her breathing quickened. Not giving her a chance to reply, he pulled her toward the ice. "Ready?"

"Y-yeah, I think so," she whispered, still reeling from his words.

"I'm right here with you," he said softly as they approached the rink's entry, stroking his thumb over her hand.

"And I'm glad," she returned, gazing up at him with a shy smile. "I can't think of another person I'd rather share this with." She stepped out onto the ice then. "Can we start with a lap or two first? I can try to skate to something after that. I just want to make sure my balance is okay. It's been so long."

John nodded and smiled before joining her on the ice. "Of course. You need to do what you're comfortable with."

He caught up with her and took her hand again. "Ya okay?"

Sharlotte nodded and looked up at him. "Yes, I really am. I feel…great." She glided over the ice with ease and then did a slight turn, skating backward so she could see how John was doing. "You _are_ a pretty good skater," she said, appreciation on her face.

"I'm decent," John admitted with a bashful smile. "Hopefully I don't trip over my feet watching you though."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me," she reassured him. "I'm fine. I actually feel pretty comfortable, so I don't think I'll fall."

"I didn't mean I was worried about you," he replied, tugging on her hand and forcing her to skate over to him. "I meant I just can't take my eyes off you."

At that moment "My Kryptonite" ended and another song began playing—Jessica Simpson's "I Wanna Love You Forever".

"Did you perform to this one," John asked her, inching his face a little closer to hers.

Sharlotte fought to keep her breathing even. "Yes," she smiled slightly. "Want me to try it now?"

"Yes," he answered instantly. Imagining Sharlotte skating to the mournful, but somehow sensual tune had him more than a little intrigued.

She skated away from him and picked up the choreography just in time for the opening soulful lyrics.

" _You set my soul at ease  
__Chased darkness out of view  
__Left your desperate spell on me  
__Say you feel it too, I know you do  
I've got so much more to give  
__This can't die, I yearn to live  
__Pour yourself all over me  
__And I'll cherish every drop here on my knees_!"

John skated back to the rink's wall to stay out of Sharlotte's way. He watched in awe as she skimmed gracefully over the ice, inserting imaginative footwork and elegant movements with her arms. She performed a flawless butterfly jump, switching from one leg to the other and eased into a camel spin. She then quickly transformed the maneuver into a donut spin—holding her foot up behind her head with her hands.

"How in the world…" he wondered out loud, as the song continued and Sharlotte built up her speed for the chorus. Watching her skate was beautiful enough, but watching her face enchanted him even further. She looked so happy. The passion she felt for the ice radiated from her face, her eyes—her entire self. And the lyrics to the song were not lost on him either. They seemed to mirror exactly what was happening between them.

" _I wanna love you forever_  
And this is all I'm asking of you  
Ten thousand lifetimes together  
Is that so much for you to do?  
'Cuz from the moment that I saw your face  
And felt the fire in your sweet embrace  
I swear I knew, I'm gonna love you forever!"

He felt his heart threaten to stop as he watched her do a half turn—the same half turn he'd watched her do right before her career-ending fall. "God, please…no…" he uttered. _She surely isn't going to really do it_. He hadn't meant for her to jeopardize herself. He wanted to shout for her to stop, but he was afraid yelling could cause even more danger for her if he distracted her at the wrong moment. To his horror, Sharlotte suddenly launched into the air and completed three revolutions, then came down gracefully onto one foot. Not even a second later, she launched with the other leg and completed another three revolutions before landing on one foot again.

When his chest started burning, John realized he'd been holding his breath. He exhaled sharply and watched in a mixture of amazement and pride as Sharlotte skated through the remainder of the mournful melody. As the song faded, she slowed her speed to match the fade and ended with an initially fast scratch spin that slowed drastically. She ended with her arms posed over her head.

She stood still a moment, absorbing the reality of what she'd just done. Then her hands came down in a prayerful position.

"Oh, my God," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I…I.." She couldn't find the words as tears burned her eyes. "I still can," she managed to cry softly. Then a single sob hiccuped deep from within her chest and she lost control of the tears. She was vaguely aware of the sound of skate blades slicing through ice. Then arms were pulling her up against a strong body.

"My God, did you hurt yourself," she heard John ask urgently. She could only sob softly as she felt John's hands prodding around her calf. "We need to get this skate off," he said, and in the next instant, he scooped her up into his arms and skated for the benches as he cradled her. Quickly, he gently deposited her onto the nearest seat and crouched down hurriedly, but gently loosening her skate's laces.

Sharlotte finally managed to get enough breath to say, "I'm okay, John."

He looked up at her, worry creasing his forehead and she instantly felt horrible for worrying him.

"You're not hurt," he asked softly.

She shook her head. "I'm s-sorry I scared you."

He brushed some hair away from her face and wiped a tear away with his thumb, "You _did_ scare me," he admitted with a slight smile. "But it's okay. I'm just glad you aren't hurt." He realized then she must've been overcome with emotion because of what she'd done. "You didn't know you could still do that, huh?"

She shook her head and fought off another round of sobs. "I had no idea."

John smiled. "I'm so proud of you."

Sharlotte smiled through her tears. "Thank you." She stood to her feet and tugged him up by his hand so she could reach him easier and wrapped her arms around his neck in a close hug. "Thank you for bringing me here, and believing in me."

"Hey, you did the hard part, always remember that," he smiled as he hugged her in return. He nuzzled the crook of her neck and then dared to brush his lips over the soft skin. He heard her gasp and felt her body tense in his arms. He pulled her closer, and moved her hair out of the way, then proceeded to kiss her neck again with a long, sweet caress of his lips.

"John…" she whispered. Goosebumps broke out across her skin and made her shiver. Her breathing became heavy as he kissed her again.

Smiling at her reaction, John trailed his lips to the front of her neck and dusted her collarbone with a soft kiss before playfully nipping at it with his teeth. He heard her whimper softly, and her arms seemed to tighten around him. One of her hands traveled up to his head and held him in place as he continued to bestow more soft passionate kisses to her slender neck.

Sharlotte sighed softly as John's mouth ravished her neck. Her fingers curled against his scalp and he pulled her small frame closer against his large one.

"John…" she whispered again, breathlessly. "Oh, John…" Instinctively, she turned her face and kissed his neck softly in return. Hearing his soft growl in response, she kissed him again and ever so slightly flicked her tongue against the hollow of his throat.

He groaned loudly from the sensations he felt, and had to pry himself away from her.

"I'm sorry," Sharlotte said instantly. "I didn't mean to-"

John smiled and cut her off, "No, don't be sorry," he chuckled.

"John..." she started. "I'm sorry that I freaked out on you earlier. I know you wouldn't use me for sex and then drop me. I don't know what I was thinking."

He hugged her close again. "It's okay. I know your a cautious woman. I'm not going to fault you for that."

"Thank you for understanding," she whispered. "Kiss me now? We were a little interrupted when you kissed me earlier," she teased.

"That was hardly a kiss, sweetheart. You'll know when I kiss you." He reached up, and brushed his fingers across her cheekbone. "I'll kiss you when we're alone and when we're somewhere special—like one of our homes or on a date."

"I can live with that," Sharlotte smiled happily, feeling relaxed for the first time in a long time.

"Okay," he said, a full-fledged smile spreading across his face. "For now, why don't we go get some dinner to take back to your place—my treat."

"I am pretty hungry now," Sharlotte grinned mischievously. "Let me just change into my shoes, and shut everything off, then we can go."

Minutes later, she was locking up the skating rink and following John back to his convertible.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Violence and blood

 

_**Chapter 20** _

 

 

Cesaro stepped out of the gym's shower stall and grabbed his towel, drying off and dressing in a hurry. He wanted to get back to the hotel and rest for a little while before heading to the arena for the live taping later that evening. Shoving his gym clothing into his bag, he spotted his script for the night sticking out of the side panel. He picked it up and glanced at the first page when his eyes fell on the yellow post-it at the top of the paper.

 

" _I had to make some alterations to the schedule tonight. Cena had to take a personal night off so I made you Phil's opponent tonight instead of having you tag with Kofi. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call on my cell.  
_

_~Steph_ "

 

"What the…" he said, pulling out his cell phone. "I have some questions all right," he thought out loud. "But they're not for you." He highlighted John's number and sent the call through. A couple rings later, the call was answered, and he heard John's laughter.

Growing irritated, he sighed into the phone with exasperation. "John?"

" _Yeah, what's up, Cesaro_?"

"Having fun," he asked, a definite challenge in his voice. "What are you doing?"

" _I'm at Sharlotte's house. I had something important I needed to tell her_."

"Doesn't sound too serious to me," he replied, "judging from the laughter I hear."

" _Look, Cesaro, chill out_ ," John shot back. " _I never take a night off, and I needed to_ -"

"Yeah, you're right about that," Cesaro said. "You never take a night off, so why now?"

He heard John sigh. " _Hang on a sec. Sharlotte, I'll be back in a minute. Cesaro and I need to talk work_." He heard Sharlotte's voice then. " _Of course_! _Go ahead. You can take it outside or use my room if you want_." A few seconds later, John spoke again. " _Okay, Cesaro_ … _I needed to talk to Sharlotte about a report on TMZ_ — _it was about us_."

He remembered then. Earlier in the day he'd heard some buzz and chatter around the arena about a wrestler being caught up in a scandalous gossip report. He just hadn't caught the name of said wrestler.

"Oh, so _you're_ the one," Cesaro said finally.

" _You've heard about it too_?"

"Not any full details," he clarified. "All I heard was a wrestler had gotten involved in some scandalous affair and that some gossip site had gotten wind of it."

He heard John groan. "' _Scandalous affair_ '… _Some idiot took some photos of me and Sharlotte the night I stayed over at her house. And of course TMZ just_ had _to use them out of context_."

Cesaro began to understand, though he still didn't see where it warranted John missing a night of work.

"And you couldn't have told her about it over the phone instead of missing tonight?"

" _There's more, Cesaro_ ," John said. " _I can't talk about it over the phone, and I don't want to talk about it to anyone but Sharlotte because frankly, it's not anyone's business but her's and mine. Plus, I don't want to risk the wrong ears hearing it and causing me more grief_."

Cesaro groaned. "Okay, fine. I need to get going—I'm running a little behind now. I'll catch ya later, man."

" _Yeah, later_ ," John said, slight agitation in his voice.

Cesaro heard the line click, signifying that his friend had disconnected the call. "What is going on with him," he wondered, tossing his script into his bag. He then highlighted Phil's number and sent a call through, knowing they needed to discuss the details of their match for the night.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

"Cesaro thinks I'm bad news, doesn't he," Sharlotte asked John as they sat down on the porch swing together.

Leena had stayed in the kitchen cleaning up while the boys went upstairs to play video games till RAW came on. Sharlotte and John had tried to insist on helping, but she shooed them out of the room.

"You don't get to take time off like this often," she'd told John. "You two go hang out. There's not much to do in here anyway."

Grateful to Leena, they both took her advice and went out on the porch to talk for a little while.

John shook his head slightly. "Cesaro's just worried about me. We've been close friends for a long while."

"I understand where he's coming from," Sharlotte admitted. "I know if I was in his shoes, I wouldn't like some nobody fan coming along and taking up some of my friend's time and causing him to miss some work—especially right after such a rough breakup. I'd be suspicious too."

"You aren't a 'nobody' by far," John said, reaching over and draping his arm around her shoulders. "And you're more than a fan to me, Sharlotte— _much_ more. You don't cause me to miss work, either. You had no idea I was coming to visit."

She smiled up at him. "I know you have fans fawning over you all the time. Some of them care about you, I'm sure, because it's difficult not to care about you," she told him. "But I also know you're bound to have fans that just care about the fact you're famous. I just hope you'll know someday soon…I'm not one of those. I'm real, and what you see is what you get."

He nodded, bashfully avoiding her gaze. "I know that already."

And he did. Seeing how protective and loving she was toward Noah—especially without the knowledge of John being the boy's father—proved that.

"I'm glad," she replied, leaning back against his arm. She took hold of his chin and turned his face to hers. "You're a _lot_ more to me than just a wrestler or actor. You're so much more than your name or your occupation. Don't ever let anybody tell you different."

He took her hand and kissed it. "I won't. And thank you, Sharlotte."

She pulled his hand over to her lips and returned the kiss. "Don't thank me for speaking the truth."

Smiling, he pulled her closer and she laid her head against his shoulder. "When do you have to leave," she asked with a touch of sadness.

"Tomorrow's a regular day off for me," John answered, a smile in his voice. "How about you?"

"Tuesdays are usually free for me as well," Sharlotte returned. Her tone sounded much brighter. "Hmmm, what to do, what to do…" she said teasingly.

He chuckled just as her cell phone sounded an alert. Groaning, she pulled the phone out of the pocket of her shorts. "Just as I thought," she said, frustration evident on her face as she stared at the screen. "More harassment."

"What does it say," he asked, peering to see the phone.

"' _John's going to get back together with Jasmine_! _Leave him alone!_ '", she read aloud.

He laughed, "I sure hope that's a kid. It's not very imaginative."

"It _is_ a kid," she chuckled as well and teased him. "You should feel terrible. I'm getting jerked around by your ruthless fan girls."

"They'll get bored sooner or later," John told her, squeezing her shoulder affectionately. "Jasmine went through the same crap when photos from the night I proposed to her were leaked out to a dirt sheet."

Sharlotte nodded. "I imagine she got it _really_ bad, since you were engaged."

"Eh, she egged it on. She knew a lot of my female fan base hated her, so she did everything she could to tick them off. I wouldn't be surprised if _she_ was the one who leaked the photos."

She shook her head. "Very mature."

"Yeah," John agreed, "That's what I like about you. You're _nothing_ like her." He saw her flush and semi-changed the subject. "Are you sure it's okay with you for me to stay here? I mean, what with that stupid report and all."

"I'm not going to let some gossip-hungry tabloid reporter ruin my time with you," she answered determinedly. "If you want to stay here, then I'd love for you to stay."

"You know I want to," he teased, tickling her ribs lightly. He laughed at her loud round of giggles. "You're hypersensitive around the ribs, huh," he asked, tickling her again.

"STOP," she squealed, helplessly scrunching herself up into a ball to protect herself.

"Okay, okay," John laughed. His face turned serious then. "So, uh, how are things with your sister? Any better?"

Sh swallowed hard, and avoided his eyes, "No, not really. We pretty much avoid each other as much as possible."

"Mom! John! Time for RAW!"

Grateful for the excuse to abort the subject, Sharlotte smiled up at John as they stood to their feet. "I feel kind of bad for the audience tonight."

"Oh, yeah? Why's that," he asked her, playing with a lock of her hair.

"Because they don't get to see you tonight."

He kissed the tip of her nose. "They'll survive. I needed to see you today."

"I'm glad, because I needed to see you too."

" _Mom_!"

"We're coming," Sharlotte called back, chuckling. She turned back to John. "I guess we'd better get in there, huh?"

"Yep," John nodded and draped his arm around her shoulders again—partly because he wanted her close, and partly because he wanted Noah to get used to seeing them together.

 _Because I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon_ , he thought, smiling happily. He secretly was glad Noah thought of Sharlotte as his mother. _Because_ , _should we get serious, it'll make things a lot easier when he finds out I'm his father._

For the next three hours, the three adults and two kids sat in the living room and watched Monday Night RAW, eager to see how it would go what with Sharlotte's and Noah's interviews, not to mention John's absence.

The interviews aired within the first hour and Sharlotte was happy with how they turned out. The staff did really well with the editing so it would tug at a person's heartstrings. The video package ended with footage of Stephanie McMahon standing in front of the Taylors' home and pleading with the WWE Universe to sign a petition that would force the superintendent and principal to implement a zero-tolerance policy on bullying. She also encouraged the fans to write the superintendent themselves addressing the issue.

"Wow," Leena declared, "They made that look incredible! That principal will _have_ to do something now!"

"He'll look like a total louse, if he doesn't," Sharlotte added as her cell phone rang off an alert.

"And cue the fan girls," Leena laughed.

Sharlotte rolled her eyes and turned off the phone for the evening. "Good grief. This is worse than _Christmas With the Kranks_ , when the kids rallied at the Kranks' house and chanted, "Free Frosty!" every chance they got," she joked.

John laughed and lightly squeezed her neck to relax her. All joking aside, he could see the harassment was beginning to unnerve her.

They all settled back into the program then and watched Cesaro's match with C.M. Punk. They couldn't help but notice the fact Cesaro was taking some obvious frustration out on his opponent. John could see, as Cesaro chopped Punk across the chest, that he was using unnecessary stiffness with the smaller, tattooed wrestler.

At one point during the match, Sharlotte had to actually avert her eyes when she saw Cesaro preparing to Irish whip Punk into steel ring post. Though it didn't stop her from hearing the thud of Punk's body hitting the post, _or_ his groan of pain. She couldn't help but feel horrible because of the beating he was taking—heel or not.

 _Cesaro is definitely angry_ , she thought. Feeling as though it was her fault, she took comfort in the feel of John's hand seeking hers. She glanced up at him beside her on the sofa and managed a small smile.

"Quit worrying," he whispered.

"I'm not worrying," she whispered back. "I just feel badly for Punk."

"He'll be fine. Trust me. We can all take a beating."

"I believe that," she said softly. "I've seen you take too many."

"Just makes me tougher, baby," he replied, lacing his fingers through hers.

She squeezed his hand in return, snuggling closer to his side and hugging his arm to her body.

Unbeknownst to them, Leena watched their actions from across the room and smiled.

 _I won't have to play matchmaker after all,_ she thought, smiling inwardly. _They're falling in love all on their own_! She'd often thought John came across very genuine and authentic when it came to his more female-friendly storylines in WWE, but all of the romantic angles he'd worked paled in comparison to the way he looked at Sharlotte. _The man is so far gone_ , _there's no hope for him_ , she chuckled to herself and glanced over at her friend then. _And Sharly is just..._ hopelessly _in love._

She turned her attention to RAW then, but her attention was once again captured when she noticed John stirring. He stood slowly to his feet, his full attention on Sharlotte. As he moved, Leena caught a glimpse of her and saw that her friend had fallen asleep. John stooped down and gently lifted her up from the sofa, trying not to wake her. Once he had her securely cradled in his arms, he turned and headed toward the stairs. He glanced over at Leena and smiled. "Putting her to bed," he whispered. "She's had a big day."

Leena nodded and returned his smile. "Yeah, I should get home," she whispered softly, and glanced over at Tyler and Noah. "You boys get to bed after RAW goes off."

They nodded, though their attention was on John and Sharlotte.

Leena quietly said goodnight to John and the boys, and then gathered her things to leave as John went up the stairs. He carried Sharlotte into her bedroom, and seconds later, he was gently depositing her limp frame onto the bed. She stirred slightly as he pulled the covers up over her, and sighed in her sleep.

"Shh," John whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Get some sleep, Sharlotte. We'll have tomorrow together."

The corners of her mouth tugged upward in a dreamy, sleep-ridden smile then, and she whispered soft, incoherent words. John missed what she said and leaned down to her face. "What was that, honey?"

She smiled again as her hand clumsily searched for his. He took it, curling his fingers around hers and kissed her palm.

"I love you," she whispered, and turned onto her side, hugging his hand to her heart.

John exhaled sharply, taken by surprise. A smile spread across his handsome face as he brushed some hair out of her face with his free hand. "You _would_ have to say that when you're asleep," he chuckled softly. He bent down and brushed his lips over her cheek. "I love you, too, Sharlotte," he whispered in her ear. "I think I fell in love with you from the first time you tweeted me." She whimpered as though she was trying to wake herself. "I wish you _were_ awake," John told her, tracing his finger lightly over her soft lips. "I'd kiss you senseless—I'm dying to."

Knowing he was going to leave with yet more frustrations, he tried to gently tug his hand free of her hold without waking her. She moaned softly in protest and gripped his hand a little tighter. "Stay with me," she whispered.

His heart melting, he smiled at her sleeping form. "Okay, sweetheart. Just let me go check on the boys and I'll come back. Deal?"

She smiled again in her sleep and allowed him to pull his hand free.

He chuckled as he stood to his feet. "Heaven help me if you ever find out how wrapped around your finger I am."

He left the room then to make sure the boys got to bed on time, and went into the bathroom to change into a pair of shorts to sleep in. Then he hurried back to Sharlotte's room and settled into bed beside her.

She seemed to know it was John whom had climbed into bed with her because she turned over then, facing him, and snuggled into his chest.

John kissed the top of her head and held her close against him as he drifted off to sleep.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte opened her eyes against the bright morning light, and smiled when she heard the boys' and John's voices laughing from downstairs.

 _John_ , she thought dreamily, flipping onto her stomach.

She buried her face into her pillow and sighed contentedly. Then it occurred to her to wonder how she'd gotten upstairs the night before. She had no memory of getting ready for bed at all. She rose up onto her elbows and looked at her clothing. She was still in her exercise shorts and tank top.

 _John must've carried me up here_ , she thought. Then she giggled happily at the thought of being in his arms once more. She flopped back down on her stomach and closed her eyes again, while a smile stretched across her face. _I can't stop smiling._ She sighed softly, and decided to get a little more rest before she started the day.

Minutes later, she was near dozing off when she felt her hair being pushed away from the back of her neck followed by lips brushing over the tender skin. Thinking she was about to start dreaming, she snuggled deeper into her pillow and groaned softly.

The feel of kisses being administered to the back of her neck moved lower, and traveled lightly over her upper spine. Her fingers curled into the pillow at her face and she moaned quietly. The kisses trailed back up to her shoulder, lightly nipping her skin and she felt the delicious sensation of chill bumps prickling her skin.

"If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up," she mumbled to herself. To her chagrin, she heard John chuckle above her.

"Well, you're not dreaming, but it's flattering that you find my kisses so enjoyable."

She flipped over onto her back, and tried to be angry. But one look at the adorable expression on his face and she couldn't follow through.

"Oh, you," she huffed. "I'm glad you get so much fun out of embarrassing me to death!"

John flashed his dimples at her. "No, no, no," he teasingly chided. "I don't like to embarrass you. I just like to see you blush. It's a beautiful sight."

As if on cue, Sharlotte's cheeks flamed a deep pink.

"I rest my case," he grinned, then placed his hands on either side of her head, lightly pinning her against the mattress. "Good morning," he whispered in her ear as he leaned down. His lips were on her neck a second later. She gasped as he placed a soft kiss beneath her ear then at her pulse, and continued trailing barely-there kisses to the front of her neck.

"It certainly is," she sighed dreamily, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. "What a way to wake up." His full weight collapsed against her as she pulled him nearer and she felt him smile against her neck.

"I agree," he growled playfully, nipping her earlobe. He nuzzled her neck then, and proceeded to tease her shoulder with his teeth. She squirmed beneath him when his mouth dusted a few feather-soft kisses to the hollow of her throat. He rose up and kissed her cheek then, "I actually came up here intending to wake you for breakfast in bed while I take Tyler to school. Noah wants to go too—I hope that's okay."

He walked over to her desk and picked up a tray after Sharlotte nodded her consent. Once she'd settled herself against the pillows and was sitting up, John set the tray in her lap. She saw he'd cooked an omelet with bacon and cheese, and some buttered toast. There was a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice as well.

"Oh, my goodness," she smiled. "That was so sweet of you. Thank you."

"You're very welcome," he told her. "Eat up and we'll be back before you know it."

She nodded, giving him a small smile as he left the room, and then began to eat her breakfast.

"Oh, Lord, have mercy. The man _so_ can cook," she exclaimed, after biting into the luscious omelet. She hurriedly ate the food, even though she wanted to saver the flavors, so she could primp a little before John got back.

Running the dishes down to the kitchen and quickly loading them into the dishwasher, she ran back upstairs to brush her teeth and wash her face.

With those feats taken care of, she dug through her drawers for a pair of short jean shorts and her pink spaghetti-strapped tank top. A couple minutes later, she was clothed and brushing out her long hair.

The doorbell rang then, and she groaned.

"Who in the world would be-" Her thoughts cut off when she thought of John possibly forgetting where the hidden house key was located. Deciding shoes could come later, she ran down the stairs barefooted and to the front door, instantly yanking it open as she chuckled. "Forget where they key is-" She stopped when she saw the man she was facing was definitely not John Cena. "I'm sorry…Can I help you," she asked curiously.

The man looked a little less than friendly as he stared at her. His collar-length, blond hair was disheveled and he had a bad case of five o'clock shadow on his face. His brown eyes pierced into hers as he prepared to speak.

"I saw those anti-bully interview things last night," he said, leaning in toward her. His voice was extremely gravelly as if he had just woken up, or perhaps he was a heavy smoker.

Though he didn't slur his words, Sharlotte could see he was obviously drunk. Trying to keep her cool, she raised her chin slightly and addressed him.

"Yes," she prodded. "I had to do what I could to defend my…" she hesitated at first, but then remembered how quickly Noah had taken to calling her 'mom'. "My son."

"That wasn't necessary," he said irritably. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Well, the principle refused to do anything about it. Are you the parent of the boy who's bullying my son? Why didn't you do something to stop this? I wouldn't have had to resort to such extreme measures."

"Don't tell me how to raise my boy," he yelled, instantly angry. "And don't try to make this my fault!"

"Then don't come on my private property and tell me not to protect my child," Sharlotte retorted, thankful for the fact Noah was out of the house. "You're drunk, sir," she said, letting her eyes fully take in his appearance then. _Or he's high_ , she realized, as her gaze fell on his forearms. Sores and scabs and track marks covered them. "Leave my home, and don't come back." She moved away so she could close the door when the man stuck his foot in the entryway, preventing the door's shutting.

"Get out of here," she repeated through clenched teeth.

In truth, she was growing frightened, but she didn't want to give the man the satisfaction of seeing her fear.

To her surprise, he shoved the door open, consequently hurling her back into the foyer. He was much stronger than he looked.

Sharlotte crashed against the hall mirror and sent it shattering to the floor as a cry of fright forced its way past her lips. She managed to right herself when he stepped inside, shutting and locking the door behind him.

"Look, just leave," she cried, backing away from him while trying to think of a plan. "You've not done anything to me. Keep it that way, and I won't have to call the cops," she lied.

"I'm not worried about you calling the cops, little girl," the man growled. He pulled out a switchblade and flicked the blade out. "I warned you, about paying the consequences if you caused me any more trouble."

Sharlotte tried to keep her senses as she inched her way to the staircase. "Please, don't," she said, holding her hands up in a defenseless gesture. "There's no reason for you to hurt me. I've not-"

"SHUT-UP!"

Seeing she wouldn't be able to reason with the man, she spun around and ran up the stairs as quickly as she could. She had just stepped on the upper landing when she felt a hand grip her ankle and then she was going down. Instantly, she kicked out with her foot and landed a blow to the man's face, then wasted no time in scrambling to her feet. She darted into her bedroom, and locked the door behind her.

By the time she got to her night table, he was pounding on her door. With shaking hands, she grabbed up her cordless phone and dialed 9-1-1.

" _9-1-1, what's your emergency_?"

"A man broke into my house," she blurted and quickly rattled off her information. "Sharlotte Taylor, 2307 Hudson Road, please send the police! He's trying to kill me!"

Sharlotte wasn't sure she could be heard over the pounding at her door so she left the phone on and laid it on her night table in case the operator needed to trace the call.

"It's only gonna get more painful the longer you drag this out!"

Trembling in terror, Sharlotte looked around her room for a weapon. Her gaze fell on her shelf of skating trophies and she quickly snatched one up. Knowing she needed to be fast, she hurried to the space next to her door so she could hide and hit him over the head when he came through.

She didn't act a moment too soon. The door splintered, then busted open as soon as she raised the trophy over her head. She immediately sent it sailing downward. The man seemed to be onto her however, because he turned and struck out with his knife at the same time.

Luckily for Sharlotte, the trophy protected her from a fatal blow with the knife, but it failed to keep her from receiving a cut on her forearm. And it also didn't strike the man's head as she'd intended. It instead sent the knife clattering to the floor. With a scream of fear, she tried a second time to hit the man on the head. He blocked the blow and yanked the trophy out of her hand.

"I should hit _you_ over the head with this," he growled, hefting the trophy tauntingly in his hand.

They both heard the front door open then, followed by John's voice.

"Sharlotte! Where are you?!"

She instantly felt a contradicting mixture of fear and relief. _John won't let him hurt me, but what if_ he _gets hurt_? _What if Noah is inside the house too_?

"Sharlotte!"

The man was distracted by John's voice, and Sharlotte chose to act on it. Trying to catch him by surprise, she flew at him in an attempt to shove him out of her room. All the noise would alert John to be on the ready and she knew he could take it from there. The man turned back to face her a second before she reached him. Like lightning, he grabbed her by the neck and slapped her across the face. She instantly fell to the floor in a small heap, dazed from the blow, while her attacker scrambled for the switchblade. Grabbing it, he dove on top of her and prepared to drive the knife into her neck.

Screaming in terror, Sharlotte latched onto his wrist and held on for dear life, keeping the blade as far from her neck as possible. She screamed again as she felt her grip slipping.

"God, help me," she prayed in a whisper as the man pressed down harder on the knife.

There were footsteps on the stairs in the next instant, and then the answer to Sharlotte's prayers came charging into the room and tackled her attacker away from her.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

John pulled in front of Sharlotte's house when he saw an unfamiliar pickup truck in her driveway. Figuring a friend had stopped by for a visit, he nonetheless took no chances.

"Noah, do you know that truck," he asked, nodding toward the slightly old Chevy Silverado.

Noah looked up from all the gadgets and knobs he'd been admiring on John's dashboard, and looked to where the wrestler pointed. He paled instantly.

"That's Jake's dad's truck."

"Who's Jake," John asked, dreading the answer.

"One of the kids who bullied me."

John fought the urge to curse in front of his son, and clenched his teeth instead. "Okay, Noah… I want you to stay in the car—no matter what, understand?" He hit the button for the top on the convertible to go up.

Noah nodded reluctantly.

"I'm going to lock the doors with you inside, and if anyone comes up and tries to get to you, blast the horn and don't stop until you see me, got it," he asked, pointing to his steering wheel.

Again, Noah nodded.

With that, John jumped out of the car, slammed his door shut and then locked the doors with his key. He instantly heard Sharlotte's shrill scream from inside the home and then he was bolting for the large house. Within a couple seconds, he was at the door and turning the doorknob, but to no avail. Cursing under his breath, he stepped over to the garden rocks lining the flower bed, and grabbed up the fake rock which held the spare house key.

A short moment later, he was busting through the door and barreling down the foyer's hallway. He saw a shattered mirror on the floor, and panicked.

"Sharlotte," he yelled, heading through the living room. "Where are you?!" Upon entering the kitchen, he saw nothing amiss, and turned to check the rest of the house. "Sharlotte!"

He heard a struggle coming from upstairs followed by Sharlotte's shrill scream, and in the next instant he was running hurriedly up the steps. Within a couple seconds, he was standing in her bedroom doorway, and had trouble processing the horror in front of him.

A man was on top of Sharlotte. And he was gripping a knife dangerously close to her neck.

His vision went red.

Shouting in rage, he dove at the man in an offensive tackle and sent him flying backward into the wall. Sharlotte cringed away from them, and though John wanted to check on her well-being, he knew he couldn't leave her attacker unsupervised. So he forced himself to step past her and approached the lowlife instead.

"You're a dead man," he growled, grabbing the man by the collar and dragging him across the room and away from Sharlotte. He sent him soaring into the hallway and followed after him. He again grabbed the man by the collar and mercilessly dished out several hard punches to his face. "You come near her again, and I will not hesitate in killing you— _very slowly_ ," John said through clenched teeth. "Do you understand me? _I'LL KILL YOU_!"

The man spat out a mouthful of blood and scowled at John through his already swelling eyes. "The b-bitch…d-deserved it…"

John yanked the man closer to his face and gave him a glare that would've frightened the devil. "Wrong. Answer." With that, he hurled the man headfirst into the wall, then punched him again.

The man made an attempt to throw a punch at John, but the blow was blocked and he received a tackle for his trouble—a tackle which sent both he and John tumbling down the stairs.

"JOHN! NO!"

John was vaguely aware of Sharlotte's cry as the two men rolled over one another. He still attempted a few punches on his way down. They rolled a couple more times out onto the landing and then came to a stop.

With caution, John tested his neck out and each of his limbs to make sure nothing was broken. Then he eyed the intruder beneath him.

His eyes were open, but he wasn't moving—at all.

"John… Oh, God. Please…"

He was vaguely aware of Sharlotte's frightened voice. Reaching over to the man, John felt for his pulse. As he suspected, there was nothing.

"Sorry, pal, but I can't bring myself to feel bad about it," he muttered, rising to his feet. He looked up at the staircase and found Sharlotte feebly making her way down the stairs. Her eyes were fixed on him, wide with fear.

"I'm okay, sweetheart," he said, realizing his tumble down the stairs had scared her to death. "I'm fine."

He saw the relief wash over her as she leaned against the wall for support. Tears streamed down her face and she shakily held onto the banister to keep her balance. Her legs trembled and threatened to buckle.

Afraid she'd drop and fall down the remainder of the stairs, John was by her side in the next instant. He supported her weight and looked into her eyes. Her dazed gaze met his and she cried softly, relieved he was safe.

"Thank God," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him and holding on tight.

"Yes," John agreed, but not due to _his_ safety—for Sharlotte's. "Thank God." He hugged her closely for a moment but then realized she needed to be checked over. Stooping down and lifting her up into his arms, he carried her down the stairs and into the living room, turning her so she'd not get full view of the man's dead body. Then he hurried over to the sofa and set her down on it, taking care to not hurt her. He sat down next to her to inspect her injuries. "God, what did he do to you," he asked as he was finally able to wholly take in her appearance. Her cheek was a deep shade of pink with a large welt rising up on it. He turned her face to better inspect the mark and cursed when she flinched at his touch. "I'm so sorry, baby," he whispered. He worried when she became unresponsive to him. "Sharlotte, baby, talk to me," he ordered in a gentle but firm tone. "Let me know you're okay."

"I'm okay," she replied softly. "I'm just glad you and Noah weren't hurt."

"Don't worry about me," John said, pulling out his cell phone to call the police. "And Noah is safe out in my car."

"I already called 9-1-1," she said, eyeing his cell phone. "They should be here soon." Her eyes grew wider then. "Is the man…" she started. "Is he…a-alive?"

"He's dead."

Her eyes fell on his, "Oh my- Did you mean to…What if you're arrested?"

"Death wasn't what I was going for, no," John answered. "I warned him I'd kill him if he came near you again—and I meant it, but I wasn't trying to kill him this time." He began looking at the cut on her arm. "I tackled him and when we fell down the stairs, I guess his neck broke." He sucked in a breath when he fully saw the cut. If it had been deep, it would have done some definite damage, let alone the risk of her bleeding out. "And I can't say I'm sorry about it," he muttered. "Is this the only cut you have?"

Sharlotte nodded, "Y-yes. I don't think it's bad."

John nodded, after inspecting it further. "It isn't deep. Just a scratch—what a relief. I don't think you'll need stitches." He stood and walked over to the windows, looking out for signs of the police's arrival. "I hope the cops hurry up." He looked over at her and shook his head, disgusted with himself. "This is all my fault," he told her, walking back to the sofa.

"No," Sharlotte started, amazed that he'd place the blame on himself. He sat down beside her again and avoided her gaze as she continued, "It's not-"

"I should have taken you along with me and the boys," he interrupted, self-loathing in his voice.

"No," Sharlotte cried again, shaking her head emphatically. She reached over and turned his face to hers. "Then that man may have come back at another time when you weren't here at all. He could've hurt Noah too. It's better it happened this way—with only me getting hurt."

John gazed at her, mesmerized by her protective instincts. "Don't say it like that," he scolded softly, brushing the back of his hand tenderly over her uninjured cheek. "You make it sound like you don't even matter."

She took his hand in hers and squeezed it. "Could you hold me," she whispered.

He put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "Better," he asked.

She gazed into his eyes. "Almost. Hold me tighter?"

"I don't want to hurt you," he protested, not knowing how much pain she was in.

"You won't," she said, managing a weak smile. "Please?"

He lifted her gently, and pulled her across his lap. She settled against him and his arms closed around her a little tighter, holding her close while they waited for the authorities. He felt her face against his neck and the tremors of her slender body against his.

"Are you okay," he asked worriedly, running his hand up and down her back in soothing circles.

She didn't answer right away.

"Y-yes. I am now," she said finally. He felt a sob rip through her body however, and she clutched at his t-shirt. "I thought he was going to kill me."

He could hear the tears in her voice and wished the man's death would have been slower.

They heard a siren growing nearer in the distance then and knew the cops would soon arrive. Dreading the load of questions they'd have to answer, they both stood and walked out the front door and onto the porch.

Noah saw them and cautiously opened his door. "Is it okay to come out now," he called.

John nodded and motioned him over as Sharlotte pulled the front door closed. The siren grew slightly louder as Noah stepped up on the porch and looked at her wearily.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, baby," Sharlotte said softly, pulling him into a hug. "John took care of it. Thank God you weren't here."

"Where is he," Noah asked. "Jake's dad."

"He had an accident," John answered for Sharlotte. "We both fell down the stairs, and he didn't make it."

"He died?" Noah looked horrified.

"Yes, he did. And I feel badly for his kid… But he was trying to hurt Sharlotte," John explained. "I couldn't let him do that."

"Thank you for saving her, John," Noah said, hugging him around the waist. "She's…" his eyes welled up with tears. "She's all I have."

At the boy's proclamation, Sharlotte had tears streaming down her face all over again.

John knelt down in front of the boy and patted his cheek, "Not anymore, bud. You have _me_ ,too." He wanted to let them know the truth right then, but he knew the timing was horrible as the police car sounded as if it was only a short distance away. _Hopefully soon I can tell them_ , he thought.

Noah's tears multiplied. "I love you," he cried, hugging John around the neck.

"I love you, too, kiddo," John replied softly, hugging Noah in return. He fought the sting of tears in his eyes as well.

The police siren was deafening then, and John knew chaos was about to ensue. He kissed Noah on top of the head and stood to his feet.

A squad car pulled up in the driveway and two male police officers exited the car, then headed toward them.

"We had a 9-1-1 call from a Sharlotte Taylor at this address. What's the problem," one of the officers asked, once they reached the porch.

"She was attacked," John explained, pointing out Sharlotte's cheek. "I got here just in time to find a man holding her down and trying to stab her."

"Where is the perpetrator?"

"He's inside, dead," John answered truthfully. We fought, and as I tackled him, we both fell down the stairs. He wasn't moving, so I checked his pulse, and…he was gone."

The officers looked over at Sharlotte as if asking her to confirm or deny his story.

"That's exactly what happened," Sharlotte replied. "A man knocked on my door, forced his way in and attacked me." She looked toward John then. "I'm very grateful to this man for saving my life."

"Okay, we're going to need detailed statements on what happened here, so let's go inside so you can sit down and relax."

"Um, is it okay If my son goes in the kitchen?…The body… I don't want him to see it," Sharlotte explained.

"If that isn't one of the rooms the attack took place in, that's just fine," one of the officers answered.

They all went into the house, and Sharlotte covered Noah's eyes as she led him around the body and into the kitchen.

"Just stay in here and do not come out for any reason, okay," she instructed the boy.

He nodded. "Can I get a snack?"

"Sure," she replied. "We'll try to hurry this is as much as possible." She turned to leave the kitchen when John entered the room.

"Let's clean that scratch first," he suggested, reaching into the cabinet above the microwave and pulling down the first-aid kit. Within a couple minutes, he had the scratch on her arm cleaned and a Band-Aid over it. "Is your tetanus shot current, or should you go get one?"

"I had one about a year ago, so it should be good to go," Sharlotte answered, smiling at him. "You're cute when you worry."

He flashed his dimples and grinned. " _Only_ when I worry?"

Sharlotte chuckled. "No, not only when you worry. All the time, actually," she replied with a flush to her cheeks.

He smiled at her, when an officer came to the doorway. "Everything okay in here? Is that cut deep?"

Sharlotte reluctantly turned toward the cop. "Yes, everything is fine. And no the cut isn't deep. We were just about to come in and give our information."

With that she and John followed the cop back into the living room and sat down on the sofa.

"So, how long should this take," Sharlotte asked, eager to be done with the whole thing so she could put it behind her. She felt badly that the man lost his life, but she knew he would've killed her and John if he'd had the chance. She was grateful to be alive.

"We'll need to collect any and all evidence from the scene, so you'll need to be out of the house for at least a few hours, maybe even the night."

"Not a problem," John replied instantly.

"Not a problem," Sharlotte repeated. "Yes, it is. I don't have another home to-"

John smiled. "It's okay, Sharlotte. We can go out and do some stuff together, and if worse comes to worst we can stay at a hotel."

Sharlotte smiled back at him. It was nice to have someone help her see the glass as half-full at times like that.

"Okay then," she replied. "It's not a problem."

A few moments later, she and John were seated at the sofa, and the cops sat in chairs which John brought in from the kitchen.

Then the questions began.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.

 

_**Chapter 21** _

 

 

"Shoot," Sharlotte whispered to herself as she watched the CSI team continue combing over her stairs for evidence. Her gaze met John's when she heard him walk in from the kitchen.

Carrying a glass of iced tea for them each, he glanced around the large living room. "So, did the cops get finished with your statement," he asked, noting their absence. He handed Sharlotte a glass and sat down beside her on the sofa.

"Yes, they just left a couple minutes ago, but the CSI team is still working," she answered softly, taking a sip of tea from her glass. "I can't get up to our rooms to pack anything, and it looks like we _will_ have to stay the night somewhere," she said, eyeing the Crime Scene Investigators. "They're not even halfway through with the stairs, and then there's the upper hallway and my bedroom to comb over as well."

"Don't sweat it," John told her. "We can go shopping and I'll buy you guys some clothes."

"No way, John," Sharlotte said, shaking her head. "That's too much. We'll manage. We can just sleep in the clothes we have on and-"

"Nope," he interrupted with a stubborn smirk. "No way. The kid's in jeans. Do you know how uncomfortable jeans are when you sleep in them?"

"No," she admitted, rolling her head around to ease some tension in her neck. "Do you?"

"Yeah," John answered. "Let's just say I've had my share of lost luggage and that the jeans didn't stay on for long. I wish sleeping in jeans on no one—especially not my-." He halted his words just in the nick of time. _I can't believe I almost called Noah my son in front of Sharlotte_ , he thought in panic. _She'd probably have a heart attack after what she's already been through._ "E-especially not m-my family or friends," he managed to stammer out a conclusion to his previous sentence.

Sharlotte chuckled, and leaned back against the sofa. "Okay, a _little_ shopping."

John internally breathed a sigh of relief when she showed no signs of noticing his potential _faux pas_.

"But, I'm paying you back on my next paycheck," she added with a sly smile.

"Oh, no you're not."

"Oh, _yes_ I am."

"Don't you know by now to not argue with me," John teased, tweaking her chin playfully.

Sharlotte laughed, smacking his shoulder with a mischievous twinkle in her gray eyes.

"Behave, or I may have to kiss some of that feistiness out of you," he challenged, setting his glass of iced-tea on the coffee table.

"Now, that's tempting," she giggled as he pulled her into his lap. "But is it a threat, or a promise?"

"Whichever you want it to be," John mumbled, smiling softly and gazing intently at her mouth.

"Mom, can I come out now?"

Fantasizing about John kissing her, Noah's voice jarred Sharlotte from her dreamy state. She turned to the boy and nodded with a smile. "Yes, I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you the…the…b-body is gone now."

It was still so surreal to her that a man had died in her home—she had trouble even discussing it.

Noah frowned as he sat down in his favorite over-stuffed armchair.

"I feel badly for Jake," he said softly. "I hate that his dad had to die."

"I do too, baby," Sharlotte told him, leaning against John for support. "But his dad…he was trying to hurt me, and he could've hurt John very badly-"

"Sharlotte, don't sugar-coat it," John cut in. "The man was trying to kill you."

"John, don't," she whispered. "Noah doesn't need to hear that-"

"I have eyes, Mom," Noah said softly. "I don't have to be told what he was trying to do. I can see the bruising and cut."

"Noah, it's fine," Sharlotte reassured him. "I know it looks bad, but everything is fine. I'm just thanking God you weren't here when this happened." She turned her gaze on John then. "And I'm thanking God you weren't hurt in that fall down the stairs you took."

"Well, _I'm_ thanking God _you_ weren't hurt any worse than you were," John told her, tightening his arms around her. "I wish I'd gotten here sooner. I was afraid I wouldn't get him off of you in time."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed an affectionate kiss to his cheek. "But you did," she whispered with a dreamy smile. "You saved my life."

"I had to," John returned, flushing slightly. "I couldn't even _think_ about you being hurt—or something worse."

"Me either," Noah chimed in.

"Well, I'm fine," she reminded them gently. "He can't hurt any of us now." She looked around the room then. "Well, why don't we get out of here," she suggested at John's silence. "After what happened, I could use a change of scenery."

John grinned, "Sounds good to me." He looked over at Noah then. "You up for a …" He paused, an idea brewing in his head.

"What," Sharlotte asked, confusion wrinkling her forehead.

"I know a great place we can stay at," he answered. "If you guys don't mind a three-hour drive."

"That's not necessary, John," she protested. "I mean, just an affordable hotel room is fine with us."

John grinned, "That's the beauty of it," he said. "It's totally affordable."

"Really," Sharlotte asked. "Where is it?"

"My house."

"For real," she exclaimed. "You wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not," John said. "It'll be much more comfortable than a hotel room."

"Yay," Noah exclaimed, jumping out of his chair. Then his face frowned slightly, "But we can't go up and pack. What'll we do for clothes and pajamas?"

"John said he was going to buy us some clothes, and since he won't let me pay him back…" She cut a playful glare at John then. "Don't pick out the most expensive thing you can find, okay," she told Noah, gently tugging on his nose in an affectionate gesture.

"I won't," Noah promised. "Thanks, John!"

"No problem, Noah. And don't listen to your mom. Get whatever you want," he said with a wink as Noah went back into the kitchen. He glanced at Sharlotte and saw stubbornness in her eyes. "Hey, it's my money, so I'll spoil the kid if I want to." With that, he stuck his tongue out at Sharlotte and crossed his eyes.

She busted out laughing. "Only you could look adorable making such a hideous face."

John's dimples appeared as he grinned and pulled her closer to him. "I'm adorable, huh? 'Adorable' how, exactly," he asked, teasingly fishing for a compliment. "Like a puppy, or a baby…or what?"

Sharlotte avoided his gaze as she answered with a shy smile. "Oh, please. You have to know by now how I see you."

"Maybe," John admitted. "But I'd like to _hear_ it. You need to come out of your shell, Miss Taylor."

"I _do_ come out of my shell—when I'm on the ice," she defended herself.

"Ah, okay," John smiled mischievously and Sharlotte could clearly see he had a plan in motion.

Sure enough, he spoke up in the next instant.

"Why don't we go skating again," he asked, a definite challenge in his blue eyes. "And you could skate to a song that portrays how you feel about me."

Sharlotte flushed drastically.

 _If he only knew what songs have run through my head since we became friends,_ she thought.

"So," John prompted her. "What do you say?"

"To what," Noah asked as he re-entered the room with a can of soda.

"I want to watch your mom skate again," John said, knowing if he could get Noah in on the discussion, that Sharlotte would have no choice but to go skating.

"Say yes, Mom," Noah said instantly. "I haven't ever gotten to see you skate in person."

Reaching up to her face, John brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, sending a shiver of delight through her body. "Say yes," he urged. "Heaven help me, when I watch you skate…you're absolutely breathtaking, Sharlotte Taylor." She gasped ever so slightly, and John smiled at her reaction. "I'd really love to watch you one more time before I have to leave you again."

"O-okay," Sharlotte relented with a smile. "I can't seem to say no to you."

"Hmmm… I'll have to remember that," John teased. "You can't say no to me… Mental note is filed away."

"Just keep any questions or requests PG-rated, Mister."

"Can do."

"Until we're alone, that is," she whispered to him, so Noah wouldn't hear.

John's eyes widened and he wriggled his eyebrows at her. " _Will_ do."

"So can we go," Noah chimed in. "I mean, we can't pack, so what's stopping us?"

"You're right," John said. "Let's hit the road. First stop is shopping. Then we'll get some lunch and then head to the skating rink."

They all stood to their feet and after Sharlotte grabbed her purse and left instructions with the CSI team to lock up before they left. The three walked out the door intent on clearing their heads of the bad events of the day.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

With their shopping and lunch out of the way, Sharlotte, John and Noah arrived at the skating rink soon after. Sharlotte unlocked the skating rink's door and led John and Noah inside.

"Okay, Noah," she started, "You can go grab a pair of rental skates. They're over behind the counter."

As the boy hurried behind the counter to find a pair of skates in his size, John sat down on a bench to put his own skates on.

"So do you know what you're going to skate to," he asked, pulling off his shoes.

Sharlotte sat down beside him and began changing into her skates as well. "Um… I think so," she hedged. She pretended to forget his suggestion of skating to a song which reminded her of him, and avoided his gaze. "Is… is there something you'd like me to skate to," she asked, concentrating on tying her laces.

He chuckled. "You're stalling. You _know_ what I want you to skate to."

"No, I don't," she smirked. "You've not mentioned a single song title."

"You know what I mean," he gently accused. "Let me put it this way," he told her, as he finished with his skates. "I'm trying to get an idea of how you feel about me. I need to know exactly where we stand."

She reached up and caressed his cheek, smiling softly at him. "Okay. I'm going to be brave, and bring everything I have to the ice—for _you_. Just...pay attention to my choreography a lot can be said through body language. And the lyrics...pay close attention to the lyrics—especially the chorus."

"Ah, so you already know the song you're skating to," John teased.

She nodded, anxiousness evident in her gaze. "Yeah. This song as been literally playing in my head since we started tweeting."

"There's nothing for you to be afraid of," John said, sensing her nerves. He took her hand. "Just lay it out for me—pull no punches."

Sharlotte took a deep breath and gave him a slight nod before rising to her feet and heading for the rink's sound system.

John's heart pounded as he waited in anticipation. _If she skates to something like_ I Will Remember You _or the_ Friends _theme…it's gonna hurt_ , he thought, popping his neck.

Noah left the ice and approached him then, sitting down beside him.

"All skated out, are ya," John asked, trying to sound lighthearted.

"Yep. For now," Noah replied. "I saw Mom go into the sound room. Is she about to skate?"

"Yeah, I think so," John answered. "She's just picking out a song."

"Good," Noah exclaimed. "I can't believe I'll actually get to see her skate in person!" He looked over at John then. "Her career ended before I was even born. So the only way I've been able to watch her is on Youtube."

"Well, prepare to be amazed, bud," John told him. "She's stunning on the ice."

Sharlotte came out of the sound room then and called out to Noah.

"Hey, kiddo! Could you come hit play on the sound system after I've warmed up with a lap?"

"Sure," Noah called back. He got up and hurried as quickly as his skated feet would allow.

She glanced at John as she stepped onto the ice and gave him a nervous smile. Then she began skating out a warm-up breathed deeply through the lap to help keep her heart rate normal and to calm her nerves. Once the lap was completed, she skated her way to the center of the ice. Glancing up, she gave Noah a nod, wordlessly telling him to hit play on the sound system. She dared to steal a peek at John, who watched her with an unreadable expression on his face. Then a second later, a pop-like ballad filled the air.

Skating over the ice, Sharlotte performed several graceful spins and turns over the span of the ice, and added little leaps here and there as the intro played through. She grew very nervous as "Savage Garden" began singing softly.  


" _Maybe it's intuition_  
But some things you just don't question  
Like in your eyes  
I see my future in an instant  
and there it goes  
I think I've found my best friend  
I know that it might sound more than  
a little crazy but I believe"  


Sharlotte hoped John would pay close attention to the lyrics of the song as well as her choreography. Between the music and the movements of her body and arms, she had the perfect way of delivering her message to him. She gained the courage to smile directly at John as the song moved to the chorus—her favorite part of the song. And while the chorus was short, her feelings could be made no plainer than with those lyrics.  


" _I knew I loved you before I met you_  
I think I dreamed you into life  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
I have been waiting all my life"  


Sharlotte had just landed a triple lutz when she spotted John standing at the skating rink's barrier wall. Smiling as she skated by him, she said, "This next jump is for you."

Quickly increasing her speed, she shifted her body and prepared herself for another big jump.

The quadruple toe-loop that she'd never quite completed during her skating career. First twirling a few times to get her timing perfect, she kicked off with her left foot, launching herself into the air. She spun her body in the air, counting the revolutions in her head. A second after she counted four, her right foot connected with the ice and she landed the jump, swinging her left leg out behind her and holding the pose for a couple seconds. Then used another twirl to transition into some elegant footwork.  


" _There's just no rhyme or reason_  
only this sense of completion  
and in your eyes  
I see the missing pieces  
I'm searching for  
I think I found my way home  
I know that it might sound more than  
a little crazy but I believe "  


There was another chorus, and then the music faded gradually as Sharlotte maneuvered into a flawless layback ina bauer and finished the performance with a graceful layback spin. She'd barely stopped and posed for the ending when she felt John's strong arms pulling her closely against his muscled frame. Crying out softly in surprise, she clung to his broad shoulders to keep from losing her footing on the ice.

"Do you mean it?"

His voice sounded slightly strained as he spoke—almost as though he was fighting some sort of internal battle.

"Tell me, Sharlotte," he demanded softly as he tilted her chin back, forcing her to meet his gaze. His sapphire-colored eyes locked onto her gray ones. "Are the lyrics to this song true? The way your body moved through the song... Is that really how you feel about me—how I make you feel," he asked, searching her face.

Breathless and afraid, Sharlotte could barely make eye contact with him. Timidly, she nodded as tears of potential mortification burned her eyes.

"Tell me out loud, sweetheart," he whispered, brushing his lips over her temple. "I need to hear you say it."

She took a deep breath and gathered her courage. "That's how I feel about you— _exactly_ ," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I've been in love with you for a long time, John-."

His mouth crashed against hers in the next instant. Taken by surprise, her eyes fluttered shut as she sighed against his mouth. Her arms slid up to band around his neck. She wanted to feel everything and remember each and every brush of hid lips against her mouth.

He ended the soft kiss, but only long enough to utter softly, "I love you too, Sharlotte." His arms pulled her closer against him. "I've loved you from the moment I saw the first tweet you sent me."

She felt his warm breath brush over her chin right before his mouth descended upon hers again. A shiver of pleasure shot up her spine and to her head in a split second as his mouth relentlessly made love to hers. She moaned softly at the sensations flooding her body and held on tighter to John's neck as his lips teased hers.

His fingers stroked over her neck as he placed feathery kisses all around her mouth, trailing his lips over her chin, then captured her mouth again. A single tear spilled down her cheek as a slight sob passed her lips, and he wiped it away with the pad of his thumb. Slanting his mouth at a different angle, he deepened the kiss, and slowly brushed his tongue against hers. Sharlotte tilted her head back further, giving him better access. He gradually kissed her harder, and groaned softly when she kissed him back wholeheartedly.

"Whoa! I knew it!"

Startled, they both pulled away and shifted their gazes to Noah, who was skating to them at a high rate of speed.

"I want you in my bed tonight," John whispered.

Flushing crimson, Sharlotte nodded. "I want that too."

"I _knew_ you liked her," Noah exclaimed, skidding to a stop next to them.

John blushed. "Well, I hope I have your approval, bud." He took Sharlotte's hand in his and smiled at her. "Because I don't plan on going anywhere."

"You totally have my approval," Noah smiled, glee shining in his blue eyes. "This is so awesome!"

Sharlotte and John both chuckled and then gaped at the boy as he unleashed his next question.

"Are you going to get married?"

"Noah," Sharotte gasped in horror. "Um…th-that's not…it-it's too soon to s-say…" She stammered, trying desperately to find an answer that would satisfy Noah, but would also alleviate any pressure the question placed on John.

"Sharlotte, it's okay," John said, squeezing her hand to reassure her that no damage was done. "It's natural for him to wonder about that." He turned to his son then, and gave him an honest answer. "We're not moving quite that fast, but I can definitely see that in our future if she wants it too."

She gasped, and John turned to her. "You don't have to say anything right now. I know I probably just shocked the hell out of you," he smiled.

She smiled back at him. "Yes, you did. But I can safely say I can see that in our future too."

"I'm glad," John grinned.

"Yes," Noah yelled, and did a little leap. "So, can we go to your house now, John?"

"Absolutely," he answered. They skated over to the benches and the three of them began taking off their skates, and putting their shoes back on. While Noah returned his skates to the front counter, Sharlotte decided to call Leena before they got on the road.

"I just realized, she'll probably hear about what happened on the news," she explained to John as she pulled out her cell phone. "I want her to hear it from me, otherwise she'll panic."

John nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she seems very protective of you, so you'd better make the call. The media has a way of getting news before you even have time to realize you're on TV. Trust me—I know."

"Yes, and now so do I," she said, referring to the TMZ article online. She quickly highlighted Leena's number and made the call as she headed toward the rink's entrance for a little privacy.

Leena answered on the second ring. " _Hello_? _Sharlotte_?"

"Yes, it's me, Leena," she replied. "I just wanted to call you for a minute and let you know to not panic if you see a news report about me and John later, okay?"

" _Whoa, whoa, whoa… Come again_? _What's happened_? _"_

"Well, I was sort of attacked at my house—when John and Noah left to take Tyler home, a man—the father of one of Noah's bullies—bulldozed his way into the house and…and tried to hurt me," she finished vaguely, not wishing to frighten her friend.

" _Oh, my God_! _Are you okay_? _Did the police stop him_?"

"No, they didn't arrive in time to stop him. Actually, it was John who saved me," Sharlotte reported. She glanced over at the benches where John was rough-housing with Noah. "I am in love with him, Leena. And now…my feelings for him grew even stronger."

" _How does he feel about you_?"

"He told me he's in love with me too," she said, the words seeming so surreal to her. "We're at the rink and he wanted me to tell him how I felt using the ice since it's my comfort zone and also using a song that described how I felt about him. So, I skated to "I Knew I Loved You". Noah asked him if we're getting married," she chuckled. "John said he can see it in our future. And so can I, Leena. I love him so much!"

"Oh, my God! You're turning me into a sobbing mess right now," Leena said, laughing through her tears. "Be happy. Both of you. You deserve it."

"I think we will be," Sharlotte said softly. "I just can't believe it!" She saw John approaching her while carrying a giggling Noah over his shoulder then. "I better go, we're about to hit the road. If you need to reach me don't go by the house—give me a call, okay? My house is officially a crime scene and I can't be there."

" _What_?! _A crime scene_?"

"Yes. The man who attacked me…well, John tackled him and they both took a fall down the stairs. The man didn't survive it."

" _Oh, my God_! _Is John okay_?"

"Yes, he is. Thank God," she answered. "Anyway, he's taking us to his house for the night, so-"

" _How awesome_!"

"I know," she chuckled. "Noah and I are very excited about it. Well, I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yes, definitely. I'm glad you're all okay. Love you."

"I love you, too," Sharlotte returned, smiling. Then she disconnected the call and turned to John and Noah. "Okay, that's taken care of. How about we get going?"

John smiled and nodded, still carrying Noah as they headed for the building's exit.

He felt lighter than he had in years.

 _I just need to take it a day at a time_ , he thought, setting Noah on his feet once they reached his car. _We've both admitted we love each other. And for now_ , _that's enough for me. This does make me wonder when and how I should tell her about Julie and Noah, however. Will it make us closer, or will it make her angry and cause her to run from me_? "And the plot thickens," he mumbled to himself.  
"What's that, John," Noah asked, getting in the backseat and fastening his safety belt.

"Nothing, bud," he answered, climbing behind the steering wheel. He glanced over at Sharlotte, whom seemed to glow with happiness at that precise moment. "Just thinking out loud."


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18+ years of age ONLY. Chapters containing these scenes will be marked NSFW. 
> 
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Graphic Sex Scene NSFW (18+ Only)

 

_**Chapter 22** _

 

 

"This is your home," Sharlotte asked, as John pulled into a huge winding driveway.

"Yep," he chuckled as he drove the car to the front of the large, sophisticated two-story house.

The home's exterior consisted of flawless white brick. A pair of elegant French doors adorned the main entrance to the house.

"Oh, my goodness, John," Sharlotte gasped. "It's so beautiful!"

"Thank you," he replied modestly. "This house has definitely become my refuge when I'm not on the road."

"I can see why," she replied, while he pulled into the mind-blowing garage.

"Oh, wow," she exclaimed at seeing all the cars he owned. "So this is the collection of muscle cars I've heard so much about!"

He chuckled again as he killed the engine. "Yes. Not all of them though. I own a larger garage near here that I store the rest of them in."

Sharlotte and Noah grabbed the sacks with their clothes and toiletries, then climbed out of the car in awe as they began looking through the rows of vehicles.

"Remember, no touching, Noah," she warned gently, seeing the glee on the boy's face.

"I won't," he replied, eyeing John's orange Plymouth Superbird.

Her own eyes fell on the yellow 2007 Ford Mustang. "Oh," she uttered with awe. "How long have you had this one?"

John stepped up beside her and grinned, "I bought her off the floor at the beginning of 2007."

"My goodness," Sharlotte said again. "She's a beauty!"

"Thanks," John said again, smiling from ear to ear. "These babies are my pride and joy." Locating one of his house keys on his key ring, he approached the door which led into his kitchen. "Why don't we head inside and you guys can get settled in?"

They followed John into the house and eyed his huge kitchen as he punched in the code to his security system.

Smiling, Sharlotte sat her bag down next to the tiled island and exclaimed softly, "Wow! Oh, the recipes I could cook up in here!"

John grinned at the mental image of Sharlotte cooking in his kitchen— _their_ kitchen. He could see Noah doing his homework at the breakfast nook and Sharlotte greeting him with a soft kiss on the mouth as he came home from being on the road. A wedding ring glinted on her hand as she linked her fingers with his and brought his hand to her rounded stomach…

He abruptly shook his head then, clearing his mind of the beautiful sight.

 _Where in the world did that thought come from_ , he wondered, then quickly answered his own question. _Duh, you're head-over-heels in love with her_. He couldn't deny, the thought of being married to Sharlotte and her being pregnant with his baby was more than appealing.

"John?"

He was jarred from his reverie and jumped to attention, his gaze shooting over to Sharlotte. "Yes?"

"Nothing really," she replied. "You just…looked distracted."

"I was," John admitted with a sly look in his eyes. "I was daydreaming about that certain ... _date_ we have scheduled for later."

Instantly, Sharlotte's face flamed crimson.

"Could I go check out the back yard," Noah asked, noticing the swimming pool outside.

"Wait to jump in the pool till we can supervise you," John warned, seemingly reading the boy's mind.

"Okay, okay," Noah groaned lightheartedly as he headed for the large patio doors.

Once the boy slid the door shut behind him, John wordlessly took Sharlotte's hand and began leading her out of the kitchen. In a hurry.

"Where are we going," she asked, as he practically jogged up the staircase with her in tow.

"Somewhere more private," he replied. "Somewhere a little less out in the open." They were in the second-floor hallway then, and he quickly tugged her into the first room they came to.

"Is this your bedroom," Sharlotte whispered in amazement, eyeing the size of the huge room. She was faintly aware of the door clicking shut behind her.

"Yes," came his quick answer.

She gasped as she was spun around and gently pinned against the wall by John's large frame. His arms came around her and pulled her impossibly close against his hard chest. I want the first time I kiss you in my house, to be in my bedroom." He lowered his mouth to her neck and placed a delicate kiss to her pulse. "I have so many bad memories in here," he whispered. "It's time I filled this room with a few memories I can treasure." His lips traveled up the soft skin of her neck to her jaw.

Sharlotte whimpered softly and brought her arms up around his neck, pulling him closer.

"How could you ever refer to yourself as frigid," John asked, tilting her chin back. "I love the little sounds you make when I kiss you—when I touch you." He brushed his thumb over her full bottom lip. He watched as her eyes closed dreamily and her breath trembled. "And I love the passion on your face. You're anything but frigid, Sharlotte. _Anything_. And when I get to make love to you, I know you'll feel nothing short of amazing."

Her eyes opened and shyly met his gaze as a blush crept up her pretty face. "I can't wait for you take me to bed. It's all I can think about."

"Me too," he whispered, a dimple appearing in each of his cheeks.

Sharlotte reached up and touched his mouth as he'd done hers moments before. "I want to..." She struggled for the right words. "I hope I... make you feel good." She stood on her tip toes and offered her mouth for a kiss. "Kiss me, John," she whispered on a shaky breath. "I've never wanted— _needed_ something so much."

"You don't ever have to ask me to kiss you," John replied huskily. "And don't worry about whether or not you'll me feel good. I have no doubt that you will. I've never wanted a woman the way I want you." And with that, he gave into the temptation to kiss her and closed the space between their faces, capturing Sharlotte's mouth beneath his own.

No amount of anticipation could prepare her for the feel of John's warm mouth on hers. It didn't matter that he'd kissed her a couple times already. It was a new, exciting experience each time his lips pressed against hers.

Unable to stop the soft sound, another whimper escaped her lips and she felt John smile within the kiss. He groaned contentedly and melded her slender frame tighter against his. She moaned softly from the sensations of both wall and hard muscle pressing against her from all sides. It made her feel completely safe and cherished.

And loved.

John gently nipped her soft lower lip with his teeth then soothed the love bite with the tip of his tongue. He couldn't help himself when he felt her mouth open in a gasp. He slipped his tongue past her parted lips and swirled it over hers, fully tasting the warm sweetness of her mouth.

A flood of sensation washed over Sharlotte's entire body and she moaned again, pressing her slender dancer's frame further into his large chiseled one.

John struggled to control himself as she gained some nerve and timidly stroked her tongue across his. He groaned and pulled her even closer. "Mmm…Do that again, honey," he whispered against her lips.

Sharlotte complied and sighed breathlessly as he dipped her backward a little ways for better access to her neck and trailed his lips over the sensitive skin.

"Sweet mercy," she cried softly, tilting her head back further. John accepted her invitation and peppered her neck with soft kiss after soft kiss till her legs finally buckled from all the electric vibrations teasing each and every one of her senses.

He shifted her and in the next instant she found herself cradled against his chest, his lips still on her neck. His chuckle rumbled in his chest and his mouth finally left her skin.

"I've never had a woman literally swoon from my kisses," he teased, setting her on her feet and nuzzling her collar bone.

"You must've kissed a bunch of icebergs then," Sharlotte replied shakily, reaching up to caress his cheek. "I can't find a word to describe how you made me feel just then."

"Likewise," John told her, kissing the tip of her nose. "You're the only woman I've felt fully comfortable around—like I can be myself. I don't have to worry about if I'm acting too silly, or being too serious. You take me as I am."

She nodded. "I don't understand how anyone couldn't accept you as you are. You're an amazing man."

"And you're one amazing woman, Sharlotte Taylor," John returned and pressed another kiss to her soft mouth.

She hooked her fingers around the belt loops of his jeans and tugged his hips against hers. She immediately felt the evidence of his arousal poking against her stomach. She mewled softly into his mouth, sliding her hand down between them. "You're hard again," she whispered, rubbing her hand over him through the constrictive denim.

He nodded. "I love you. And it makes me want you so damned badly."

"Does it hurt at all?"

He paused, having trouble finding the right words. "It does, but it's a good pain," he clenched his teeth as she continued rubbing him. "It's the best pain in the world." He felt himself harden even more and took a deep breath, clenching his eyes shut and finally growled, "Damn it. I can't go back downstairs like this."

Thinking a moment, Sharlotte moved her hand up to the zipper of his jeans. A second later, she had the jeans undone and slid her hand inside his boxers, taking his erection in her hand.

"Sharl-" He choked out, and gently took her wrist in his large hand. "Baby, you don't have to do-"

"I want to," she whispered, staring into his eyes. She moved her hand down his length experimentally, trying to find out what felt good to him. She tightened her grip and watched as his jaw muscles clenched. "How does that feel," she asked softly, moving her hand a little faster.

A growl rumbled in his chest as he began thrusting into her hand. "Amazing," he finally managed to say. "It shouldn't take much longer, to be honest."

Sharlotte was mesmerized by the steel-like hardness of his arousal, and the contrasting velvet-like texture of the flesh. "I love how you feel," she said, smiling softly up at him. "I can't wait to feel you inside me."

A frantic moan ripped from his throat and his head tipped back as she stroked him. "Almost..." he whispered.

Sensing she should change the speed of her strokes, Sharlotte moved her hand more rapidly over him, circling her thumb lightly over the tip of him with each stroke.

"Ohhhh, shit," John bit out, his hips thrusting in a frenzy against her hand. He reached out and braced himself against the wall. "Oh, yes..." Suddenly, he stilled for a second and then he erupted in her hand. "Baby, _fuck_ , yes," he groaned softly. He let out a contented hum as Sharlotte lightened her strokes.

"Better," she asked softly.

He was speechless, and breathing hard from the long-needed orgasm. He managed a single nod and then took her hand, leading her to his private bathroom. Sharlotte gaped at the huge wall of mirror above the lavatory as he quickly turned on one of the twin sinks' faucet so they could clean up.

Rinsing her hands in the sink, she glanced up at the mirror. John was silently watching her from behind, his blue eyes frozen on her.

"Can I touch you," he finally asked, an almost boyish grin appearing on his face.

She shakily nodded. "I'd love for you to."

He wasted no time in yanking off her tank top and bra, gazing at her breasts. She had no idea how he undressed her so quickly, but in the next instant, she was spun around, facing the huge bathroom mirror and completely naked. He reached around to her front and cupped her breasts in his hands, strumming his fingers over the nipples.

She gasped in surprise, never having been touched in such a way. His fingernails scraped lightly over the hardened peaks then and an electric tingle shot strait from her breasts down between her legs. Her back arched slightly and he chuckled softly in her ear; a rich seductive sound.

"You like that, huh? Do you like _this_?" His fingers tugged and plucked at her nipples next and then rolled them tightly between his thumb and finger, just enough to give a pleasurable, slight sting.

Sharlotte could not manufacture an intelligible word. There was a sudden, harsh throbbing between her thighs that thudded in time with her heart beat. She exhaled on a shaky breath and a low, desperate cry vibrated in her throat.

"I can't wait to get my mouth on these tits of yours," he murmured, cupping her breasts once more in his hands. "They're perfect." His gaze met hers in the mirror and a mischievous smile lit up his face. "I can't wait to get my mouth on _all_ of you." He watched her face for her reaction; a flush working its way up her neck to her cheeks. "I'm a tad blunt, if you haven't noticed," he explained. "I'm not much for hardcore dirty talk, but I do like enough to spice things up a bit."

"I like it too," she returned. "Its... making me feel very..."

"Horny?"

She giggled and nodded. "Yes. I believe that is the correct term."

"Is that so," John teased, sliding his hand slowly over her flat stomach, tweaking playfully at the little ring in her bellybutton, and coasting further downward. "And, _how_ horny are you, exactly?" One of his hands slid between her thighs and his fingers began gliding through her slick folds, in search of a prize.

"Ex...tremely..." she panted.

"You're scalding hot, and _so_ wet," he said, his low-pitched voice nearly shaking. He lightly stroked his fingers over her mound, and watched her in the mirror as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, fighting the urge to make a noise.

Sharlotte's breath caught in her throat as one of his fingers brushed over her clit. She moaned softly and her body jolted in his arms.

"Found it," John mumbled with a triumphant smile as he sped up the strokes of his fingers. He sounded as breathless as Sharlotte felt at that point.

"Found... Found what," she stammered out as her hips rolled against his hand with a mind of their own.

He chuckled, enjoying her responses to his touch. "Your clit—one of your sweet spots."

She met his gaze in the mirror. "One?" She gasped again as his finger concentrated solely on the tiny nerve bundle. "Oh, my G- There's... m-more than one?"

"Mmm-hmmm," he teased, kissing the side of her neck. "I'll find the other one soon." He nipped the skin behind her ear then. "But, I am really enjoying this one for the moment."

"So am I," Sharlotte said with breathy laugh that quickly turned into a moan when his finger sped up and circled her clit over and over.

"Does that feel good?"

She barely managed a nod and then his thumb joined the mix, pinching the little nub gently. She whimpered and laid her head back against his shoulder. "So good..." Her chest rose and fell rapidly. She felt Johns warm breath brush at her ear then as his hands moved back to her breasts.

"Touch yourself."

Her head shot up and wide-eyed, she stared at him through the mirror. "What?"

He repeated himself. "Touch yourself. I want to see you make yourself come."

Her head shook once as she stared at him, horror-struck. "I can't do that."

John smiled softly at her. "Please? Not only will it be a major turn on, but then I can see how you like to be touched—what drives you wild."

Sharlotte shook her head again. "I'd be too embarrassed. Plus, I don't even really know how I like to be touched."

His forehead creased as he took in what she said. "What? How do you not know? Haven't you ever... done any of this before?"

"No. I haven't." Her gaze avoided his and her face tinted to a deep shade of pink.

Comprehension lit Johns face up. He recalled her saying she'd never had time for a social life or a serious relationship. His mind just couldn't comprehend that such a beautiful creature could never have had sex of any kind. "So, you're saying that you've never been touched, _literally_ , at all? By your own hand or a lover's?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. I always thought... touching myself was pointless. And I have seen movies where people were made fun of for it and-"

"Sharlotte..." He cut her off and swallowed hard. _No wonder she isn't comfortable in her own skin._ "Let me ask you a question... Are you sure about this—about me?"

Sharlotte found the courage to turn around in his arms and face him. The uncertainty in his voice made her heart swell. "I'm absolutely positive. I wouldn't have let things go this far if I wasn't." She reached up, pulling his face down to hers and kissed him softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he returned the words along with another soft kiss. "Please, let me watch you," he whispered against her lips. "Since you haven't done this before, and I'll see it... and then making love to you tonight...it'll sort of feel like you're giving yourself to me for the first time, _twice_."

Her face flamed, but she gave him a shy nod. "When you put it like that, how can I deny you?"

He smiled and turned her around till she was facing the mirror again, but kept her back flush against his front.

"Would you take your clothes off?" She bit her lip slightly. "I want to feel your skin against mine."

"Your wish is my command."

John was naked in less than five seconds, and pulling her back against him again.

Sharlotte reveled in the feel of his warm abs soothing the tense muscles of her back.

"Relax," came his soft whisper in her ear. "This is supposed to be fun. Don't stress over it."

She nodded slightly and met his gaze. "Help me? I'm not really sure what I should do."

Silently, he took her wrist in his large hand, and initially brought her hand up to his mouth, kissing her palm. Then his hand covered the back of hers, and slid it down her stomach slowly, both to build the anticipation, as well as to not overwhelm her. Once their linked hands reached the apex of her thighs, he shifted his own hand back to her wrist and urged her to cup her sex in her hand, helping her to get acquainted with what her body craved.

Her breathing was already quickening. John grinned. _This is going to be a beautiful sight to witness._ "There. That's not so embarrassing, is it?"

She shook her head slightly, her lips parted. "Not so much." She let out a soft giggle. "The sexy way you're looking at me really helps a lot though."

He chuckled deviously. "I think you're ready to step it up a little." With that, he shifted her middle finger toward the top of her mound.

Sharlotte felt as the tip of her finger brushed over a hard, tiny ridge of tissue at the same moment a sharp little tingle resonated from it and instantly shuddered through her body like a ripple of water, before making its way back to her core and fluttering softly.

John heard her gasp, and her body jolted slightly. "Feel that little bump—your clit?" At her nod, he coaxed her finger to stroke it in little circles. Immediately, her hips rolled and a whimper passed her lips. "That is a truly _magical_ little button you never want to neglect," he teased. Then he removed his hand from hers and brushed her hair off her shoulder so he could nibble at her shoulder and neck.

"Keep going," Sharlotte heard him order with a shaky voice as he bit her ear lobe. She cried out softly as more little flutters assaulted her core and her slender hips moved a little faster. "Rub your clit for me, baby. Tap it, pinch it, whatever feels good to you. Let me see you fucking come for the first time."

Her head dropped back against his shoulder then; his erotic words obviously fueling her arousal. Her breathing became uneven as she continued to stroke herself into a frenzy. Frantically, she latched onto one of Johns hands with her free one, and dragged it to her breast. "Pl-please..." To her relief, his fingers tweaked and scraped at her nipple as his other hand came up and did the same to its twin. An urgent sob erupted from her as her eyes clenched shut.

"Uh-uh. Open those eyes beautiful. Look at me in the mirror. I have to see your face—your eyes." John's voice switched from smooth and sexy to desperate and gravelly.

He watched as Sharlotte obediently lifted her head and stared into his eyes through their reflections. He felt himself twitch and begin to stiffen at seeing her lose herself in his arms. "SHIT... You're getting me hard all over again," he panted in her ear.

A shiver traveled through her body as his warm breath brushed against her skin. She could indeed feel his shaft hardening and pressing into her back. "Good," she moaned out as her slender frame shuddered. "I want to watch _you_ touch yourself."

"Oh, fuck," he whispered. "I don't think I'd get past one stroke before I explode, sweetheart."

"Still... want...to...see," she barely managed to get a word out on each exhalation.

Her uneven breaths alerting him to the fact her climax was near, he squeezed her breasts and once again began strumming his fingernails across the distending, rosy tips. "Still rubbing that clit, baby?"

She nodded, struggling to keep her eyes on his.

"Good. I want you to stroke faster—harder."

Her eyes widened, but he saw as her hand indeed began moving furiously between her legs. A choked sound hung in her throat, and her chest heaved. He smiled softly at her. "You're so beautiful, Sharlotte. Breathe through it, don't fight it." He coached her. "Just let it happen."

He knew the instant her orgasm threatened to begin. Her hips stuttered and then tensed. She made another strangled noise, and he gave her nipples a slightly harder pinch. "Breathe, baby. Stroke a little faster. Don't stop." His throat grew thick from just watching her face; her aroused body. "Don't stop stroking" he urged in a whisper.

Sharlotte struggled to follow his instructions as her body slowly grew tighter and tighter. _Breathe. Stroke. Fast._ She tried to keep those three words at the forefront of her mind. She watched as John grabbed one of her legs and hitched it up by the knee, spreading her legs apart. A breathless whimper just barely passed her lips as she felt the beginning effects of John's maneuver.

That is when she crossed the precipice into her first ever orgasm.

"J...ohn...?"

Her breathless voice was a mixture of uncertainty and fear as she lost all control of her body. Her hand fell away from her pelvis and then latched onto one of his muscled thighs behind her, digging her nails into his flesh. With a soft growl, he shifted his free hand down and began stroking her clit again. Her core and inner thighs clenched and tightened and tingled at an almost painful level. She cried out loudly and was vaguely aware of his voice encouraging her and telling her to breathe through the experience.

"Its okay, honey. It isn't going to hurt—it'll feel so fucking good."

She took a slow, deep breath as he sped up the strokes of his finger, and she erupted. A burning pleasure rushed through her like a tidal wave then. She felt her heartbeat palpitating within her core and then the sensation ruptured within her, stretching her from the inside. She was hyper-aware of every sensation that flooded her body and mind. The throbbing, the burning tingle, the spasms, the shudders— _everything_ grew, and swelled and quickened.

A loud wail filled the confines of the room and Sharlotte didn't realize where it was coming from until she took another breath, and the sound died.

"That's it... Yeah, baby... That's it..." John's whisper tickled at her ear and sent another shiver rippling through her slight frame. His finger began rubbing circles in the opposite direction. "Come again for me."

The whole process repeated itself, but much faster. It was as if her body was under John's total command. In one instant, Sharlotte's body was coiling up once more, and then exploding with another orgasm in the next.

When she came back to herself, her frame was still jolting due to his continued stroking. She whimpered, exhaustion making it impossible to do anything more.

"You're breathtaking when you come—your face; the sounds you make," he murmured, not ceasing with his strokes. "I can't even begin to imagine what it will feel like to experience all of that, while I'm inside you."

She gazed at his reflection. "That was so... I _loved_ it."

"And I'm not done yet."

Before she could say anything, she felt one of his thick fingers slip inside her a little ways and begin prodding. She gasped and once again let her head drop back onto his shoulder. "Oh, John... I don't think I can..."

"Yes, you can," he replied. She could hear a smile in his voice. "I have something else to teach you." His finger crooked upward then and Sharlotte lurched in his arms. Her entire body hummed with a renewed passion. A sudden flash of heat surged through her body, starting at her core. Ripples of fire and sharp flutters pulsed between her legs, eliciting a loud, frantic cry of desperation from her mouth.

"Oh, my God," she cried as he bent his finger again. "What was _that_?"

His lips kissed the side of her neck. "Remember that other sweet spot I said I'd find?" He didn't wait for her answer. "It's your g-spot. And it's also definitely something you shouldn't ignore." He groaned then. "You're so fucking tight," he uttered. "You're going to feel like a damned vice around me." He pressed hard on her g-spot and grinned at her loud moans, repeatedly curling his finger in a beckoning motion against the soft, sponge-like tissue inside her. "Come on, beautiful," he coaxed, kissing her neck again. He added another finger and began scissoring them inside her. Then he stopped and repeatedly curled them again, roughly and mercilessly stroking the tiny tissue that was driving her wild. "Let go, and come. For me. Let me watch you again."

Her core spasmed sharply and another raw, frenzied cry tore from her lips as he relentlessly alternated strokes and pressures on her g-spot. She shifted her gaze to their reflection and moaned sharply. The sight was beyond erotic. John's hand moving rapidly between her legs, his other hand once again squeezing and stroking her breast. Her head lolled back, resting against his chest as her lithe body writhed from his ministrations. She looked like a wanton vixen.

"That's it, sweetheart," he said, pinching her in a way that had her eyes rolling back in her head. "Come on... Come on..." He felt her walls flutter rapidly around his fingers. "You're almost there, honey," he said, stroking her harder. "I can feel you starting to grip me."

His words encouraged more of the delectable flutters that Sharlotte was coming to love. She reached up and curled her arm around the back of John's neck, then shifted her face to the side so she could kiss him. His mouth met hers immediately, and his tongue thrusted into her mouth identically to how his fingers thrusted inside her.

She again felt her body coiling inside, tighter and tighter. Even tighter. She wasn't frightened at all now. She was ready, eager— _dying_ for the climax to claim her. Another delicious spasm throbbed between her legs, and she could hear John uttering against her mouth. "Come on, honey. Come for me... I need to watch you come apart—to know I caused it." Suddenly, her slender frame went rigid and still.

"That's it, sweetheart. Just let it happen."

His thumb began furiously rubbing her clit, and in the next instant, her body exploded. She cried out and gasped for air as harsh spasms and endless waves of pleasure assaulted her core. Her hips undulated against his hand as he rubbed and stroked her through the orgasm.

"There ya go," he whispered, holding her body up in his arms. "There ya go. That's it," he smiled as her cries grew louder.

He continued stroking inside her, relentlessly speeding up the movements of his fingers. Sharlotte's breath caught in her throat when she felt her insides coiling once more. "John..." she whimpered. "It's..." She bit her lip hard. "Again..."

He chuckled in her ear. "Hang on, baby," he said. "This one's gonna be a little rougher." With that, he added a third finger inside her and pumped them rapidly, in and out. A broken cry escaped her lips as her head tossed back.

He felt her tightening up and smiled. "Gonna come again, honey?" He drove his fingers further inside her and sent her over the edge. She spasmed around his fingers and nearly went limp in his arms gasping and crying out. He groaned softly in his throat, and whispered as he continued stroking her. "I can't wait to be inside you and feel you clasping me as we both come."

She moaned softly and smiled at him, a dreamy look on her face. "I can't wait either."

He took her hand and guided it down between her legs once more.

"How about one more time before we clean up and head back downstairs?"

Sharlotte grinned mischievously up at him. "Only if I get to watch you touch yourself, too, mister."

"Deal."

He spun her around, and in the next instant lifted her up and sat her down on the counter space between the twin sinks.

John watched as her gaze traveled down his body, and lingered on his arousal. A slight smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "You start."

He returned her smile and fisted the base of his erection. A small hum of satisfaction rumbled in his throat. "Now you."

Sharlotte parted her knees and slid her hand to the apex of her thighs, her eyes not leaving John's. She gave her clit a light stroke and her body jolted slightly at the contact. She gave John a pointed look then and waited.

He gripped his erection snuggly and pumped his fist up to the tip. "Ahhh..." His jaw clenched and his head dropped back briefly before he lifted it again, and settled his gaze on Sharlotte. She was watching him intently. "Slip a finger inside," he said, his voice strained. "Stroke your g-spot, just like I did. Curl your finger like you're beckoning."

She obeyed, and he knew the instant she found it. Her eyes darkened and a uninhibited moan burst from her mouth.

"That's it," he whispered. "That's what I want to see." His own hand had begun to stoke his length in time with her strokes.

She wrapped her free arm around his neck and tugged him closer to her. Kissing him a quick kiss, she stared into his eyes. "Faster." She sped her own strokes up as she saw his fist pump more quickly over his arousal. She moaned at the sight. "You're so sexy to watch," she let out a soft breathless giggle, until John placed his free hand at the small of her back and pulled her closer against him. Their pelvises were nearly touching. John growled deep in his throat as he continued stroking himself. "Wrap your legs... around me..." he panted. "I'm getting close, honey. You?"

She nodded, biting her lip and lifted her legs to wrap around his waist. "Yes. I am... starting to clench a little."

He smiled. "Can you brush your clit a little with your thumb?" He couldn't see the act, but he knew when she had managed the feat because she shuddered against him and moaned louder. She dropped her head forward onto his chest, but he reached up with his free hand and tilted her chin back. "Gotta watch... face..." He grunted laboriously.

"I want to see yours too," Sharlotte gasped out. She deliberately sped up the strokes of her fingers and immediately stiffened. Her hips couldn't thrust very well, being that she was sitting on the counter top, but that only seemed to exacerbate the sensations for her. Her fingernails dug into his shoulder and she sobbed his name over and over as the climax claimed her.

"I love you," he panted, nearing his own orgasm. His mouth covered hers and he kissed her, thrusting his tongue deep into her mouth.

"I love you, too," she returned against his mouth. She slid the hand that had stroked inside her and ran her wet fingers over the tip of his erection, lubricating him with her essence. Then she moved his hand all together and took over stroking him.

She smiled at the sound of his passion-strained voice. "FUCK! SHARLOTTE! SHIT! BABY! OH, _FUCK_!" She moved her hand up to the tip and concentrated stroking only the head of his erection.

He became frantic then, grabbing her hips in his hands and rhythmically thrusting into her hand.

She felt his hard length pulsing within her fingers and knew he only had a few more seconds before his orgasm was upon him. "I can feel you twitching, John," she whispered. "Close?"

"Fuck! Yeah, baby..." He growled loudly. "I wish I was inside you."

She smiled and quickened the strokes a little more at the tip of his erection. "You will be tonight."

And that did it. John shouted, and gripped her hips tightly as he came. His seed shot out of him, stream after stream, and drenched Sharlotte's chest and stomach. She moaned tiredly, the sight and the heat of his milt on her skin giving her a feeling of completeness. She snuggled her face in the crook of his neck and sighed contentedly.

"Lets get cleaned up," John chuckled, lifting her down from the counter top. He started to set her on her feet.

Until her legs buckled.

Laughing, she clung to him. "My legs are like Jell-O." Laughing along with her, he lifted her up into his arms and carried her to the large shower. Within minutes, they had rinsed off, and blotted dry with a soft towel.

"Here, I'll help you with your clothes," he said, grabbing up her undergarments. He proceeded to help her pull them on and then dress in her shirt and shorts. Then he walked with her the bed to make sure her legs would support her, and sat with her on the edge of the bed.

"Did I wear you out too badly," he asked, a boyish grin on his face. "Will you be up for me tonight?"

Flushing with a bashful smile, Sharlotte nodded. "I wouldn't miss tonight for the world."

"I'm glad," he replied, taking her hand and kissing it. "I wouldn't either. Just watching you... was beautiful. I can't imagine being inside you, experiencing it _with_ you." He leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Sharlotte whispered.

"Why don't you rest here for a little while," he suggested. "I'll keep an eye on Noah. I want you rested for tonight," he added, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "Because I don't plan on letting you get much sleep."

Blushing again, she nodded her agreement. "Yes, I'll take a little nap. See you downstairs later?"

John nodded and kissed her again. "Get some rest, baby."

And with that, he left the room so she could get a little sleep before their big night. 


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Suggestive themes and discussions

 

_**Chapter 23** _

 

_**** _

 

Sharlotte woke slowly, noting the bright sunlight filtering through John's bedroom windows. She stretched in the king-sized bed, bowing her back in a very feline-like manner. She groaned softly, feeling somewhat refreshed. There was a slight tenderness between her legs which brought a smile to her face. The memories of what John did to her hours before came flooding back, and made her want him all the more.

Wondering what the time was, she glanced at the alarm clock on the night table, and gaped when she saw it was nearly six o'clock in the evening.

"I slept for over four hours," she wondered out loud. Stretching again with a small yawn, she sat up on the edge of the bed and then stood to her feet. She grabbed a hairbrush from her bag and ran it through her long hair, ridding it of tangles and unruliness.

Minutes later, she left the room and headed down the stairs to the ground floor of the house. John and Noah were nowhere to be seen, so she glanced through the patio doors to see them in the huge backyard. Noah swam in the pool while John supervised him and flipped some steaks on the large grill in his backyard. Smiling happily, she started to join them, when the front door's doorbell chimed, followed by a loud rapping on the wood. Hesitant to answer John's door for him when she was only a guest, but also not wanting to interrupt his time with Noah, Sharlotte walked up to the huge pair of double doors and pulled it open.

And felt the blood drain from her face.

Jasmine Greenberg stood on the threshold, her jade-colored eyes glaring daggers at her.

Putting on a brave face, and not wanting to make a difficult situation even more difficult for John, she gave a slight, cordial smile. "Hello. Give me a second and I'll get John for y-"

Huffing, and flipping her dark hair right in Sharlotte's face, she barged right past her and stomped across the foyer.

"Or come right on in," Sharlotte said, rolling her eyes.

"This is my home," Jasmine whirled on her, eyes flashing. "Of course I'll come in if I want."

"This _isn't_ your home anymore," Sharlotte said, surprised at her sudden courage. "John made that pretty clear to you." She motioned with her head toward the patio doors. "He's outside."

She followed as Jasmine stalked out the patio doors, not wanting John to think her cowardly.

"John, what is this homewrecker doing in our house," his ex-fiancée demanded.

"I'm sorry, John," Sharlotte interrupted softly. "I was going to come get you, but she sort of barged her way in."

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart," John replied. "I'm used to it." He turned his attention to a very angry Jasmine. "Jasmine," he didn't bother to hide his exasperation. "Why are you here? And what do you want?"

"I came to talk about our relationship, of course," she replied, looking at him as if he'd grown a second head. "And our future marriage. I want to know what we have to do to save them."

John reached behind him and took Sharlotte's hand, pulling her up by his side. "It's too late for that, Jasmine. I don't know how I can make myself any clearer. I don't even like you, let alone _love_ you. I'm not going to stay shackled to you anymore."

"You're going to throw me away for that…" her glare at Sharlotte was full of icy contempt, "fragile little porcelain doll?!"

"Sharlotte isn't fragile. You have no idea how strong she is," he shot back. "She's beautiful and _real_." He pulled Sharlotte's hand up to his mouth and brushed his lips across her knuckles. "She's a _lady_. A _real_ lady. Something you wouldn't know how to be if your life depended on it. Now, please leave, Jasmine. I've legally evicted you, so I can call the police and have you escorted off my property. And I will if you don't-"

Noah walked up to the patio eyeing Jasmine wearily. "Mom? Everything okay?"

"Oh, aren't we the perfect, happy little family," Jasmine sneered at the boy, and then glared back at John and Sharlotte. "How _dare_ you bring that slut and her little shit to my home!"

Sharlotte stepped forward, prepared to jump to Noah's defense, when John took care of the problem himself.

His eyes darkened to a dangerous shade of blue and he towered over Jasmine, his jaw twitching in his outrage. "Be glad you're female," he said in a low voice. "Because if you weren't, right now, I'd not hesitate to beat your ass into the ground for what you just said." He glanced over at Sharlotte, his face instantly warming again, and he smiled at her. "You looked like you wanted to say something. Be my guest."

"You call me whatever you want," Sharlotte said, in a deadly quiet tone of voice as she stared Jasmine down. "But I _never_ want to hear you mention my son—ever again. If you do, I won't be responsible for what I do to you. You've been warned."

Jasmine's nose snarled and she took a threatening step toward Sharlotte. "I should kick your-"

John stepped protectively in front of Sharlotte. "Leave, Jasmine. I'm two seconds away from calling the police."

Sharlotte spoke softly. "John, don't. It's not worth it. Neither of us want the publicity this would trudge up. Noah and I are fine. Please."

"Are you sure," he asked her.

She nodded. "Yes, I am."

He nodded slightly and then brushed his mouth over hers with deliberate purpose. He couldn't help but smile in his mind when he heard Jasmine's appalled gasp.

"I can't believe you," Jasmine hissed.

"Jasmine, GET OUT," John said loudly. "Before I change my mind and call the cops! Leave!"

Sputtering in rage, his ex turned and left the premises, vowing the whole way to pay them both back.

Sharlotte breathed a sigh of relief, and sagged against John, who pulled her closer in his arms. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She smiled softly and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Noah?" She turned to see the boy with a puzzled look on his face.

"She's nuts," Noah said, scratching his head. "Seriously, she's a few fries shy of a happy meal."

John and Sharlotte busted out laughing at the boy's choice of words, then John returned to manning the grill.

"Can I go try out your water slide, John," Noah finally asked, watching the slide with growing interest.

John chuckled. "I wondered when you would notice that thing. Sure, knock yourself out, kiddo. Just be careful."

Noah quickly jumped back into the pool and swam for the ladder to the slide. A couple minutes later, John and Sharlotte heard his squeal of glee as he came barreling down the long tunneled slide.

They both laughed, glad to see Noah having a blast. They grew quiet soon as the boy continued to play on the slide. Neither one of them seemed to know what to say next. Finally, John broke the silence.

"I have no idea what to say, Sharlotte. Other than, I'm so sorry. I'm just... I'm at a loss for words."

"I'm fine, and it's not your fault at all, John. So, don't apologize for her." She smiled slightly then. "I'd wondered what our first inevitable meeting would be like," she commented. "Truthfully, it went better than I expected."

"I'm so embarrassed," John replied, flipping the steaks over. "I can't believe I ever wanted to be with her, let alone marry her."'

"Well, you see her for who and what she is _now_ , and that's what matters," Sharlotte told him, pulling him over to her and kissing him softly. "Everything happens for a reason, John. And while you may not know what the reason is right now, you need to understand that she may have helped play a part in the path you've taken. While she's not responsible for the amazing man you are, maybe if she'd never crossed your path, things would have turned out completely different for you—whether for better or for worse, I don't know. Maybe she was a sort of vehicle for you, for lack of a better word, to get you to this point. Do you see what I mean?"

John nodded slightly. "You're talking about an " _It's a Wonderful Life_ "-slash-" _What would it be like if I was never born?_ " kind of thing, right? Only instead of not being born, you mean what might've happened if I'd not dated Jasmine."

"Exactly," Sharlotte said. "And while I hate every bad thing you went through with her...if it's something that helped bring _us_ together, then I can't help but be grateful."

"And since you put it that way," John smiled, kissing the tip of her nose. "I'm grateful too."

 _I love this man, so much_ , she thought, as his mouth lowered to hers.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte giggled happily as John's lips kissed behind her ear and trailed lightly down the side of her neck.

The couple was rinsing the dinner dishes together, and placing them into the dishwasher to be cleaned. Noah was in the den watching television, so they had a little bit of privacy in the kitchen.

"The steak was really delicious," Sharlotte commented, as she rinsed each of the steak knives. "Where did you learn to grill like that?"

"My dad," John murmured, nuzzling the back of her neck. "And thank you. I enjoyed it too, but I have to say what I'm really looking forward to is dessert."

"Why do I get the feeling you're not still talking about food," she asked, placing all the silverware in the dishwasher's compartment.

She felt his hand take her arm and she was gently spun around to face him.

"Because I'm not."

His mouth covered hers swiftly, swallowing the soft cry of surprise that passed her lips. His tongue slipped inside her mouth slightly, just enough to ignite her passion. Her hand slipped up to his shoulder and she kissed him back, moving her tongue against his. She caught his lower lip with her teeth and gave it a playful tug before running her tongue along it.

A groan emerged from his chest and he pulled her closer, his hands beginning to wander. She came to her senses when his thumb brushed over her breast. She reluctantly broke the kiss. "N-Noah," she started. "He could come in here at any moment. We need to wait. Until a little later."

John nodded. "I know. I lose myself with you. It's like I forget where I am."

Sharlotte smiled. "Exactly how I feel." She flushed slightly then. "It's nearly dark outside. I-I think I'm going to go up and get a shower and—get ready for bed. I may lay down for a little while—get a little more rest-"

John silenced her with a soft kiss to her mouth. "Okay. I'll be up in probably a couple hours."

Smiling at him, she turned and headed up the stairs. Once she was out of sight, she made a mad dash for his bedroom and hurriedly grabbed the pale pink satin robe he'd bought for her earlier that day, along with her toiletries. After brushing her teeth, she stepped into the shower and enjoyed the soothing warm water that sprayed down on her from the huge shower head.

Twenty minutes later, after she was done scrubbing away the day's grime, she was clean from head to toe, and her hair was freshly blow-dryed. Smiling dreamily, she pulled the satin robe on and secured it at her waist. She left the bathroom then and found John's bedroom darkened except for many candles lit in the room.

"Beautiful," she whispered with a smile.

A note was propped up on a pillow, and she laid down on the bed to read it.

_I thought the candles would make our lovemaking even more memorable. Can't wait to see all your beautiful skin by candlelight! I'll be up soon. I love you.  
_

_~J_

Sighing happily, Sharlotte fell back against the pillows, holding the note close to her heart. Within minutes, she'd fallen asleep, a smile still on her pretty face.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.
> 
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Very graphic sex scene 18+ ONLY

 

_**Chapter 24** _

 

 

After getting Noah settled into bed for the night, John eagerly headed to the other end of his long hallway, and stepped into his bedroom.

And his breath caught in his throat.

Sharlotte was asleep on his bed, wearing the satin pink robe he'd bought her earlier. He highly suspected she wore nothing underneath it—at least he was hoping that was the case. Shutting and locking his bedroom door with a grin, he quietly began stripping down to his boxers, instantly feeling himself harden from the anticipation. He eased himself down slowly onto the bed beside Sharlotte. He gazed at her a moment, then leaned down and brushed his lips over her jaw, inhaling her floral fragrance, then trailed his lips to her neck, and placing delicate kisses all the way to her collar bone. He chuckled silently when he saw a sleepy smile cross her face. She sighed softly, and settled back into her slumber.

John reached over and, so as not to disturb her, began untying the knot that secured her robe. He had the belt untied within seconds and slid the sides of the flimsy garment from her slender body. Just as he'd hoped, she was completely naked underneath. He groaned softly in his throat as he marveled at her pale skin. The candlelight gave her an ethereal glow and she reminded him of a beautiful, blonde, long-haired fairy.

Unable to refrain from touching her, he traced his finger down the valley between her breasts and down her stomach. He bent down and kissed her belly button and then very gently tugged on her navel ring with his teeth. She whimpered in her sleep and shifted slightly toward him. He hovered over her, and kissed her heart. Then he kissed lower on her chest, her stomach, and when he heard her moan softly, he kissed one of her thighs. Turning his head, he kissed the other one and gently tugged her limp legs apart and held them in place by hooking his arms around them. Kissing up the inside of one thigh, he stroked the other with his thumb.

Glancing up at her face, he saw she was still fast asleep, although her eyebrows were knitted together as his mouth teased her.

 _Damn, I must have worn her out more than I thought_ , he thought, smiling softly. _That's_ ** _okay. I know just the way to wake her._**

With a feather-lightness, he brushed his lips across her feminine folds and then paused for her reaction. He heard a soft, but sharp intake of breath, and repeated the action; this time adding a sweep of his tongue. This earned him a loud whimper. He grinned, deciding to wake her with a jolt. His mouth latched onto her clit and he wriggled his tongue over it roughly. A moan forced its way past her lips and he continued the erotic assault. In her sleep, Sharlotte's hips flew upward and began to roll in a frantic rhythm against John's face.

He didn't let up with his mouth, but kept his eyes glued to her; watching her every reaction. He saw as her fingers curled into the puffy comforter on his bed, her head tossing slightly from side to side. She attempted to close her legs, the pleasure being almost too much for her to handle even in her unconscious state.

"Mmm-mmm..." he mumbled against her flesh with a soft chuckle. He tightened his arms around each of her legs and parted them even more. "I saw how flexible this body of yours is when you skated on the ice today. I want these legs _wide_ open, beautiful."

He resumed his actions, manipulating her body into a breathtaking orgasm that had her crying out loudly in her sleep. Her eyes finally flew open as her hips began to slow in their rhythm.

"J-John...?" Her gaze searched for him, finally locating him between her legs. The sight had her body already coiling again, aching for another release.

"Hmmm?" He hummed against her flesh as he made a meal out of her.

"How long..." She paused as the words left her. She groaned, and let her head drop back onto the pillows beneath her. "Have you... been...down there?" She giggled softly then, as his tongue brushed over a particularly ticklish spot. "Oh, my," she prattled on, feeling quite heady. "What a way to wake-"

John silenced her mouth with his. The kiss was long and soul-searching. He tasted her lips with a flick of his tongue and then slid it into her mouth, tasting her completely. When he finally broke the kiss they were both breathless.

"Before I take you, I want you to know," he told her with an almost shy smile, "That I'm thrilled— _honored_ , I get to be your first. I am curious though... Had you ever _kissed_ anyone before me?"

Sharlotte shook her head and ran her hand over his cheek. "You're my very first everything. And I'm thrilled and honored it gets to be you too."

"Well, damn," he uttered softly, his gaze scanning over her face, and back up to her eyes. "You're all mine—and mine only. I just wish I had known sooner. I would have made this much more special-"

It was Sharlotte's turn to silence his mouth with a kiss. She pulled back and smiled at him. "It doesn't _get_ any more special than this, John. I'm with the man I love, in his beautiful bedroom full of lit candles. I was woken up in the most delicious way. I never dreamed my first time would be this beautiful."

He smiled and kissed her softly. "Well, let's see if we can make it even more beautiful."

With that, he tugged the robe down her arms and removed it completely from her body. "You're breathtaking," he whispered, letting his sapphire gaze roam slowly down the length of her slender frame.

Flushing, she reached over and pulled at his boxers. "Get out of these things, please," she said softly. "I feel a bit vulnerable."

Completely comfortable in his own skin, John stood and quickly slid the boxers off then rejoined Sharlotte on the huge bed. "Then I guess I'll have to make sure you feel like the sexy, gorgeous woman I'm seeing right now," he said, kissing her mouth softly.

His lips traveled over her chin down to her neck. She whimpered softly.

"Just relax. And feel," he murmured, already nibbling his way to her breasts. "Even scream if you want." She felt him smile against her skin. "Because the sounds you make only turns me on more." He shifted their bodies so he knelt between her slender legs, and tugged on her knees till they hitched up onto his sculpted hips.

Sharlotte reached down between them, and grasped his erection in her hand. "Already hard," she whispered with a mischievous smile.

"As a rock. I actually got hard the second I stepped into the room and saw you asleep on my bed," he said, teeth clenched slightly. "But, honey—tonight's about you." He took both her wrists in his hands and held them down on either side of their bodies. "Let me make love to you this first time. Then we can make love together." To emphasize his point, he leaned forward and rolled his hips against hers, brushing the tip of his arousal over her hot entrance.

Her head fell back against the pillows and her eyes closed as a soft whimper escaped her.

Lowering his head to her chest, he gently tugged on a pebbled nipple with his teeth and swirled his tongue around it.

"Mmmm... That feels so good," Sharlotte sighed, arching her back slightly.

"Ya like that, huh," John teased, cupping her other breast and repeating the treatment.

"Yes," she whispered as she writhed against the mattress.

John smiled and kissed his way back up to her neck. Then his mouth found hers and he teased her lips with soft little pecks till she moaned in frustration. Only then did he give into the blazing temptation to slip his tongue into her warm mouth. His hand slid downward as he kissed her, stroking over her thigh, then latched onto the back of her knee and hitched it up higher on his waist. He shifted his mouth to her neck again and began kissing his way down her body. He reached her stomach and playfully dipped his tongue into her belly button. He heard her giggle and did it again. Then his mouth resumed its trek down her stomach, over to her hip bone and across her upper thigh.

John suddenly shifted her legs and pinned them atop his muscled shoulders with his hands, stroking his fingers lovingly over the satin skin of her thighs.

"John," Sharlotted said, an uncertainty in her voice. "What are you doing-?"

"What I was doing to you before you woke up," he told her mischievously. "You seemed to really enjoy it—even though you were asleep." Flashing his dimples, he lowered his head and nibbled gently at her sex.

She jolted and cried out softly, "Oh, my... Don't remember..." John took that time to grind his mouth against her and lap at her inner walls. "Don't remember..." she started again, gripping the bed covers in her fingers. "Ever... feeling anything... like that... before"

"Like it," John asked, and slid his tongue over her clit. Her breath caught in her throat and her hips lifted from the bed. The friction of his tongue brought forth a shock of flutters that started in her womb and traveled strait to her core.

"Oh, yes," she whispered shakily. "Very much."

With that, John shifted his mouth to completely cover the hardened pearl of tissue and suckled it while wriggling his tongue over it relentlessly, much like he'd done to wake her moments before.

The flutters Sharlotte felt grew stronger, and stole her breath. And the wet, smacking noises that mixed with his groans of pleasure, was about to send her into orbit. He sounded as if he were feasting on a rich delicacy. "Oh, John..." she reached down and took his hands from her thighs and gripped his fingers in hers. She felt him affectionately squeeze them back while he continued the erotic assault with his mouth.

"Feel good, baby," John mumbled around her flesh.

" _So_ good," she cried softly. She sucked in a breath. "It aches... I need..."

"I know, honey," he said, not letting up with his mouth. "I know. I've gotcha." His tongue sped up its strokes and Sharlotte became aware of a sharp burn manifesting in her thighs and scorching her all the way to her core. She moaned loudly and tried to move her legs. He latched onto them again and held them in place while nipping her lightly, then resumed laving her clit with his tongue.

Ripples of white-hot pleasure attacked her, tensing her muscles. She felt like a tightly strung violin, about to break its string.

Her core fluttered lightly as her insides voluted, and John spoke softly. "Come on, honey. You're so close. I need you to come."

No sooner than he spoke those words, than her body exploded in a harsh series of spasms that seemed to go on and on. She cried out loudly, her hips thrusting of their own accord against John's mouth. "John," she sobbed softly. "Oh, yes..." She slowly realized that he was yet to stop pleasuring her. His skilled mouth continued to suckle and stroke her mercilessly. And instantly, her body began coiling again. "John," she whispered, passion thickening her voice. "Again..."

"I know, sweetheart," he smiled, and placed her legs back on the bed, spreading them apart as far as was comfortable for her. "Just let go." He slipped one of his fingers inside her and crooked it repeatedly, pressing hard on her g-spot. A broken vociferation escaped her lips and she gasped for air while John skillfully manipulated her body into another orgasm. "Breathe, honey," he said softly. "Breathe deeply."

Fighting the urge to pant instead, Sharlotte forced her lungs to breathe deep and slow. And she knew then why he had instructed her to do so. Everything she felt was amplified. A frantic cry of desperation ripped from her throat and he sped up the movements of his finger.

"I'm going to take you, while you're coming this time," he said softly. "It's should make it easier for you."

Barely able to make any sense of his words for all the pleasure she was experiencing, she felt his mouth return to her. He hummed softly, and the vibration sent her tumbling over the edge of ecstasy. She cried out as her core exploded with intense spasms, and was vaguely aware of John shifting his body. Her legs were hitched up onto his hips again as he slowly began entering her slick, wet heat.

He groaned as each spasm pulled him in deeper and deeper inside her. "You okay," he managed to ask, then growled softly as another spasm drew him into her further.

Sharlotte's answer was to curl her fingers into the muscles of his buttocks and pull him in even more. "Never... b-better," she whispered, passion thick in her voice. "You?"

"I'm perfect," John replied, burrowing his face into the curve of her neck and kissing her lightly. "You feel amazing, sweetheart. I can't even describe..." His words froze as his hips finally met hers. "Oh, Sharlotte... Fuck... I'm fully inside you now, baby. He took her hand and placed it at their union. "Feel that?"

She whimpered softly as she ran her fingers over their joining.

"Are you okay," he asked immediately, concern darkening his gaze.

She smiled up at him then. Tears shone in her eyes, and one spilled down her cheek. "I'm...happy. I feel amazing and I'm... I'm yours." She felt him harden a little more inside her and he groaned softly in his throat.

"And I'm yours as well," John whispered, leaning down and kissing away her tears. "Is it okay if I move now," he asked. "Will it hurt you?"

She shook her head, "It'll hurt if you don't."

Leaning down again, he captured her mouth with his as he withdrew his hips from hers. Then a second later, he was slowly filling her again with a loud groan. "God, you're so tight." He pulled out again and immediately slid back inside her, a little faster this time. "You sure I'm not hurting you," he asked.

"There's a slight burn," Sharlotte managed. "But it... actually feels really good." On her next breath she pleaded, "Keep going... Don't stop."

He nodded and covered her mouth with his as he pulled out of her and pumped his hips against hers. She moaned into his mouth as he continued rolling his hips into hers. His tongue slid into her mouth and thrusted against hers with the same rhythm of his hips. His hand wandered to her breast and lightly pinched the hardened peak.

The sharp sensation shot through her body and sent her flying into an unexpected orgasm. She cried out loudly, hooking her arms underneath his and gripping his shoulders as the sharp spasms ripped through her lithe frame.

Her climax caught John by surprise as well and he froze, trying to maintain his arousal. "Already," he asked, an almost proud smile on his face. He resumed his thrusts and increased the pace. "I wonder if I can fuck another one out of you," he teased with a chuckle.

"Probability is..." Sharlotte cut off and moaned softly, as an aftershock fluttered through her womb. " _Very_ high."

Soft laughter rumbled in his chest as he deepened his strokes. He could feel his lower back tightening and knew that soon the sensation would flood into his erection. Deciding to make every thrust count, he curled his pelvis with extra force and jabbed at her g-spot.

He was rewarded with the sound of her frantic cry: "Oh, John! I'm... coming... _again_!"

The feel of her walls clasping him tightly over and over, nearly sent him over the edge. He let his breath whoosh out and rested his forehead against her neck as his hips hammered into hers.

Sharlotte gripped his shoulders tighter, digging her nails into his back as her climax ripped through her. "You feel so good..." she whispered, breathlessly. "So, so good..."

"So do you, honey," John returned. He leaned down and took her nipple in his mouth. "And you taste really good too." His mouth continued its erotic ministration to her breast. He added a few scrapes of his teeth to the mix, and heard her gasp followed by her core fluttering around his arousal.

"Gonna come again, beautiful," he whispered around her breast.

Her back arched against his mouth. "Yes..."

"Open your legs more," John ordered gently, nudging at her knees. "I'm about to come too, and I want to make this last one phenomenal for you."

She spread her legs apart, bending them at the knees and instantly gasped. She felt fuller and tighter where John mercilessly pounded into her. Her legs shook as she neared another colossal orgasm. The burn in her thighs scorched its way to her womb and she felt her core tightening up so harshly she was sure she'd die from the pleasure.

"Mmmm, that feel good," he asked, nudging her knees a little bit more.

Sharlotte sobbed, but not in pain. "Too good," she managed to pant out. Her eyes nearly rolled back in her head as her insides coiled tighter and tighter. "I'm not sure I'll survive..."

He chuckled as his own orgasm neared. "That makes two of us." He sucked in a sharp breath. "I wish this didn't have to end. I love how you make me feel." He reached down and stroked her clit with his thumb, lazily circling around the bundle of nerves that never failed to make her jolt.

She cried out, almost weakly. "I-I'm going to... Oh, yes... John!..." Her head fell back against the pillows and she then felt the dam burst forth. Her core exploded and spasmed sharply, over and over.

John felt her grip him suddenly, and the tightness in his back and hips surged to his arousal in an instant. He groaned loudly as his seed flooded from his body into Sharlotte's. Then he shouted as the shock waves of pleasure intensified. "Fuck, baby..." he panted against her shoulder. He continued thrusting into her, trying to prolong both their climaxes.

She all but went limp in his arms. With a satisfied moan, she held him close against her. "I love you," she whispered in his ear.

"I love you," John returned, with a soft kiss to her mouth. "So much."

She smiled shyly. "Thank you. For the most beautiful night of my life."

It was his turn to look bashful. He shook his head with a slight grin. "Thank you, for the most beautiful night of mine. Thank you, for saving yourself—for me. It was the best gift I've ever been given. And I'll cherish it always. I'll never take it lightly."

Sharlotte pulled his face down to hers, and kissed him softly. "I couldn't have given it to anyone but you."

John laid down beside her, an expression of completeness on his face, and tugged her into his arms. "Let's get a little sleep. It won't be long till I'm needing you again."

"Let me know when you're ready," she said with an impish smile. "Because I am already."

He chuckled and pulled her closer. "My... You're a voracious little vixen, aren't you?"

"You started it," she joked.

The lovers dozed off in each others' arms minutes later, exhausted and full of contentment.

 


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.  
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Graphic Sexual Situations NSFW (18+ ONLY)

 

_**Chapter 25** _

 

 

Sharlotte woke slowly, the feel of John's lips on her neck eliciting a sleepy giggle. "What time is it," she asked, grogginess in her voice. Sunlight filtered into the huge bedroom, and all the candles had burned down to nothing.

"I think it's about seven," John whispered, trailing his mouth down to her shoulder. "We should have enough time to-"

"Shower," Sharlotte said with a smile, shifting herself within his muscled arms.

"Shower sex," he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm so down."

She giggled. "That does sound like a pretty good idea."

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, he stood and quickly lifted Sharlotte up, urging her to wrap her legs around his waist. Then he lowered her onto his erection and they both groaned softly as he headed for the shower.

About a half hour later, they were both clean and almost spent.

Almost.

Sharlotte was draped against John in the shower, panting for breath as the shower head rained warm water down over their naked bodies.

"Are you okay," he asked softly, brushing his lips over her temple. Her legs were still wrapped around him, and he remained inside her. Her body trembled against his. "Was I too rough with you?"

"Mmm," she moaned softly, kissing his neck as he held her. Her tongue flicked across his pulse and lapped up a drop of water. "I'm great. And no. You were perfect. I had no idea, what sex and making love would be like. I always heard it was amazing, but of course, never knew for myself. You far exceeded any hopes or expectations I had."

John groaned softly in his throat, and felt himself beginning to harden again. Sharlotte whimpered at the feeling of him swelling inside her.

His teeth clenched as his arousal strengthened. "I've had you over and over, all night long. And still... You can make me hard with just your words. I don't think I'll ever get my fill of you," he whispered, kissing along her collar bone.

"I certainly hope you don't," she replied softly, then moaned as he began thrusting his hips into hers with slow, gentle, shallow strokes.

"Reach down," he whispered huskily. "Touch yourself for me."

Sharlotte dropped her head back and moaned softly. Her hand slid between them, down past her stomach.

John smiled softly. "Look at me."

She shifted her gaze to his face and returned his smile. In the next instant he felt her core flutter lightly around him. Then several hard spasms clasped his arousal tightly and he knew she was climaxing. He grasped her bottom in his hands, lightly digging his fingers into the soft flesh, and growled as his eyes clenched shut in ecstasy. Sharlotte moaned loudly as she all but melted against him. "There ya go," John whispered, as he lifted her slightly and brought her down again. Her cries heightened and became more frantic, so he kept a steady, slow pace. "Don't stop touching yourself," he uttered, adding a slight thrust each time he lowered her onto his erection.

"But it's so..."

"Is it hurting you," he asked.

"N-no... It feels good—way _too_ good. So intense..."

"Okay then. Don't stop," John ordered gently, continuing to impale her. "Keep stroking. Your next orgasm will blow you away."

She gasped when a sharp spasm shot through her core. "John..."

"You're so beautiful," he said, lifting her again. "So perfect." She cried out softly as he lowered her again. Her free arm clung to his neck as her other hand remained down between them. Leaning forward, she kissed him hungrily, slipping her tongue past his lips. He groaned as she stroked it over his and he then took over the kiss. His tongue plundered her mouth as he repeatedly lifted her and lowered her back down onto his shaft. Her walls fluttered around him again and he smiled against her mouth when she gasped.

"Mmm," John groaned, as his arousal grew even harder. He pressed her slender frame against the tiled wall. "Stroke yourself harder," he ordered gently. He maintained the slow pace of his thrusts. Sharlotte complied and instantly cried out. The friction of her fingers stroking over the hypersensitive bud between her thighs paired with his relentless thrusts was almost too much for her to handle. "Don't stop," he whispered, pulling out of her painfully slowly. He entered her again just as slow and growled against her neck when her walls clasped him snugly. He froze, not wanting her to climax again so soon.

"J-John... Please..." she panted, out of her head with pleasure. "Don't stop!"

"Shhh," he smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. "I don't want you to come yet. If this is the last time we get to make love for a while, I'm damn sure gonna give you a grand finale."

"You've already done that a few times, I think," she chuckled softly.

"No, trust me," he replied, finally resuming his slow thrusts. "I know what I'm doing. Taking it long and slow like this... It feels... Well, there's no word for it."

"Mmm, well in that case... Carry on," she said in between gulps for air.

"Stroke yourself some more," he uttered. " _Hard_." He felt her hand shift between them and a loud cry broke from her lips as she fluttered around him again.

"Ahh, that's it," John groaned in her ear. His hips met hers and slowly receded. "Just like that. Fuck. That's it, sweetheart. Don't stop."

"I won't, if you don't," came her breathless reply.

"Deal."

Sharlotte bit her bottom lip as the familiar burn once again flooded her womb and vibrated to her core, then her thighs. She inhaled sharply, digging her fingernails into John's shoulder.

"Feel good," he asked, refusing to speed up his pace. Her only response was to dig her nails in further and moan deep in her throat. "Come on, honey. Answer me," he ordered.

"Yes," she cried softly, as his hips bumped into hers and bounced her a bit.. "Feels... _so_ good..."

His fingers dug into her fleshy buttocks a little harder and she cried out blissfully. "Oh, John yes! Harder! Dig your fingers in more—bruise me! Mark me!"

"You like that, huh," he teased, curling his fingers a little more and kneading into her flesh. Her walls clasped him harshly. He groaned, the cry bursting in his throat. "You're like a vice around me."

Suddenly, her slender frame went rigid and she panted frantically.

"Breathe, baby," John coaxed, maintaining his slow thrusts.

A whimper passed her lips and she dug her fingernails into his shoulder again. "John? I-I can't..." The uncertainty in her voice quickly shifted to passion-frenzied cries. "Oh, my God... John! Please!" She had no idea what she was pleading for. She knew only that he could provide the relief she needed.

His slow lovemaking didn't waver. "I've got you, honey," he whispered, his voice shaking noticeably. "Just let go. Come apart for me." He kissed her shoulder. "I want to feel you squeeze the fuck out of my cock."

At his passionate words, Sharlotte felt her body explode. She screamed as the orgasm ripped through her. John covered her mouth with his and swallowed the loud cry, kissing her relentlessly as she clung to him in desperation. "Still touching yourself," he mumbled against her mouth. She nodded as another harsh spasm rocketed through her. "You feel amazing," he whispered. "I can't seem to-" He cut off as the tightness in his lower back rushed into his erection and then his own orgasm ripped through him with no warning. "Sharlotte," he uttered laboriously. He fought off the urge to roar through his release, instead shifting one hand from her bottom and flattening it against the tile wall in an attempt to brace himself through the volcanic pleasure that was rupturing in his body. He felt his arousal lurch inside her and push against one of her walls. The result had his erection re-hardening instantly and he growled from the force of the sensation. His back and inner thighs burned with the frantic need for another climax.

Sharlotte sobbed softly as her frame tightened yet again. John's shaft twitched inside her and repeatedly prodded her g-spot. She barely had time to gasp for air before her body erupted once more. She cried out, almost weakly, and sobbed into his neck while her slender frame convulsed against his muscled one.

John succumbed to his second climax then and failed to muffle the shouted "FUCK" that tore from his throat. He gulped in some air and then thrusted against her slowly as his seed spewed into her womb with such force it made her whimper in satisfaction.

For a couple of minutes neither of them could say anything. All they could do was pant and try to catch their breath.

Finally, John was able to break the silence. "Y-you okay?"

"Oh, yes. Definitely," came Sharlotte's soft reply.

He smiled and managed to raise his head enough to see her face. "For the record: I've never been multi-orgasmic before. That's the first time I've _ever_ come twice back-to-back like that."

She beamed. "Well, no pressure, but I sure hope you can do that again."

He laughed as he shut off the shower and gently set her on her feet.

"I don't think I'll be able to walk strait for a week," she told him, laughter in her eyes.

"Likewise, honey," he replied, drying them off with a big fluffy towel. "I'm going to be thinking about nothing but the past ten hours, till I get to see you again." he chuckled then. "I guess it's a good thing I wear baggy shorts in the ring. I don't think sporting a hard-on during my matches would go over too great with my colleagues or the PG rating.

Sharlotte giggled. "That's the good thing about being a woman," she joked. "No one ever knows when we're turned on."

"Wrong, sweetheart," John smiled at her. "I know _precisely_ when you're turned on. You flush and smile a lot, an occasional giggle-"

"Okay, okay," she laughed. "Point taken. But I'm actually glad that _you_ know. Because you know exactly what to do about it."

He growled in his throat. "You're damn right I do." He groaned in frustration then. "Let's talk about something else. I'm starting to want you again, and we just don't have time for anymore lovemaking. Unfortunately."

She grinned. "I already can't wait to see you again. Next time you come visit, we can make some happy memories in _my_ bedroom."

"Sounds like a plan," John flashed his dimples and kissed her softly.

Then they were pulling on some clothes and getting ready for the rest of their day.

 


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.
> 
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Some mild groping/petting

 

_**Chapter 26** _

 

 

"Well, here we are."

Sharlotte looked over at John as he shifted his car into park. His eyes were sad, and his mouth stretched thin. _He's definitely not happy_ , she thought. She looked out the windshield at the large house Noah was born in, and the house she'd called home for fifteen years. She had always loved it. And still did. _But now_... _It seems so lonely,_ she thought. _John won't be here with us_. She laid her hand over his on the gear shift.

Lost in his own thoughts, John looked over at her and gave her a crooked grin. He tugged her hand up to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the back of it. "Well, let's get you guys settled back in." With that, he climbed out of the car and came around to her side and opened the door for her.

A few minutes later, they were inside and tiptoeing around broken glass.

"I wish the CSI team would have gotten this glass out of here," Sharlotte sighed. "I know it isn't their job, but they know I have a child living here." She turned toward Noah then. "Could you bring me the broom and dustpan? I want to at least clear the floor of glass so you don't cut yourself. I'll clean the rest of this when I get home this evening, okay?"

Noah nodded, and went to fetch the cleaning supplies. When he returned, John took them from the boy before Sharlotte could, and began sweeping up the shards of glass.

"John," she started, smiling at his thoughtfulness. "You don't have to do that-"

"I know," he replied, glancing up at her with a smile playing at his lips. "But I want to do it for you." He finished scooping up the glass and walked the dust pan into the kitchen where he dumped the contents into the garbage can. He instantly came back to Sharlotte at the foot of the stairs, and noted that Noah had sat down in the living room to watch television. Grinning deviously, he stooped, instantly tossing her over his shoulder, and went running up the stairs to her bedroom. Sharlotte—consumed with a fit of giggles—finally managed to cry, "You caveman!"

"And you love it," John teased, setting her on her feet next to her bed. Then he nudged her down to the mattress as his mouth found hers. He took his time with the kiss, lazily slipping his tongue past her lips and swirling it around hers. His fingers curled into her hair and anchored her head against the pillows as the weight of his body pinned hers in place. Her legs raised and hugged his hips. His hands wandered up to her breasts and cupped them tenderly through her shirt.

"I wish we had a little more time..." he whispered. His face nuzzled her neck and he gently nipped her soft skin.

"I do too," she returned, running her fingers up and down the back of his neck.

"I'll come back for you, soon," he told her, lifting his head to gaze into her eyes. "I have to. I can't be away from you for long." A look of frustration crossed his handsome features. "I've never felt this way about anyone before. I've never felt this urgent _need_ to be with someone. I thought I knew what love was long before now. I was wrong. And I'm scared as hell."

"I'm scared too," Sharlotte whispered, trailing the back of her hand over his cheek. "I'm very scared. But I'm happy too. The happiest I've ever been. I wouldn't know how to return to my life before you."

John's dimples appeared as he beamed and he leaned down to kiss her again. "Me either." His lips teased hers and then he deepened the kiss, groaning into her mouth. "I wish I could strip you naked and ravage you right here," he whispered in her ear. "But, I'd need plenty of time, and I don't have it." He raised up from the bed and reached for her hand, tugging her into a sitting position. "I hope I left you with a few good memories to think about until I can, though."

"You did, and then some," she replied, a dreamy smile crossing her face. "Why don't you go downstairs with Noah for a bit? I'll get dressed for work. I'm sure he'd love to spend a few minutes with you."

He nodded and gave her a quick kiss on the mouth. "Yeah. I'd love to spend a little time with him too." With that, he turned and left the room and headed down the stairs to join Noah in the living room. The boy looked sad, sitting on the large sofa.

"What's up, bud," John asked as he sat down beside him.

"Nothing. Just bummed that you have to leave," he replied. "I'll miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too, Noah," he replied, putting his arm around the youngster's shoulders. "I'll be back soon. I promise." He smiled at the boy then. "Want to help me out with a surprise for your mom?"

Noah's face instantly brightened, "Yeah!"

"Awesome," John said softly, looking over his shoulder to make sure the subject of their discussion wasn't coming down the stairs. "Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to postpone my flight out. But don't tell Sharlotte. I'm secretly going to go buy a mirror to replace the one that broke, and then I want us to clean up the mess at the front door, and her bedroom so she can't even tell anything happened. Sound good?"

The boy nodded, excitement shining in his blue eyes. "Yeah! She'll love that. She's usually pretty beat when she gets home from work. So not having to clean up will help her out."

John nodded. "Great. I'll also have dinner delivered to you guys so she doesn't have to cook or buy anything. Remember, Noah... It's a surprise. Don't say a word, okay?"

"I won't. I swear," Noah said grinning.

Sharlotte came bounding down the stairs, dressed for work. She eyed both John and Noah and chuckled. "Why do I get the feeling you two shouldn't be left alone together without adult supervision?"

"Probably because we shouldn't," John teased, getting up from the sofa and pulling her into a hug. "I really should get going," he said softly, hating to kill the happy mood.

She nodded, refusing to cry. He needed to keep his head on strait for his matches, and her tears would not help him do that.

Noah shot up from the sofa and wrapped his arms around John's waist. "We'll miss you tons!"

"And I'll miss you guys tons also," he replied, returning the young boy's hug. He looked back at Sharlotte and kissed her mouth softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispered, kissing him back.

He smiled, and then turned and left them, pulling out of the driveway seconds later.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

John watched from down the road as Sharlotte climbed into her car and pulled out of her driveway, headed toward her job. Grinning, he shifted into drive and then guided his car into the driveway. He'd barely killed the engine and opened his door when Noah stepped out onto the porch and hurried to him.

"I waited till she was out the door, but I got the vacuum and cleaning stuff out," Noah reported, obviously proud of himself.

"Great, Noah," John praised. He pulled out the vase of apricot-pink roses he'd bought earlier from the local florist, as well as the antique mirror he'd bought for the hallway, and headed for the house. "Let's get started."

They reentered the house and John divided the tasks up between them after hanging the mirror, and settling the roses on the hall table. "How about you work down here? There's not too much left to do, and I can be upstairs making your mom's bed and stuff? If you get done before I do, you can come help me finish up."

Noah nodded happily, and plugged the vacuum cleaner into the wall and began cleaning the landing at the stairs and the hallway. John headed upstairs with one of the roses and an attached note in his hand. He laid it aside on Sharlotte's night table and began tugging her bed covers into place. Minutes later, the bed was finished, and he picked the rose up once more, kissing it lightly before placing it on Sharlotte's pillow. Then he picked up a couple of her trophies from the floor and placed them back on the shelf where they belonged.

"I'm done downstairs," Noah announced at the door. He had a spray bottle of cleaner and a dust cloth in his hands. "Need help in here?"

"Sure, bud," John said. "Why don't you get to dusting off her furniture that has all this fingerprint powder on it, and I'll vacuum the floor."

They set about the task and less than twenty minutes later, the two had the room completely back in order.

"Awesome," Noah exclaimed, high-fiving John.

"We make a good team, bud," John smiled, and hugged the young boy. "Okay, now I really do have to go. But I'm going to put in an order for dinner for you guys. What do you like to eat? Chicken? Burgers?"

"A cheeseburger and fries sounds really good," Noah replied.

"What about your mom? What kind of stuff does she enjoy," John asked, taking mental notes.

"She usually eats pretty healthy. Chicken, seafood, lean beef, that sort of thing."

John nodded, "Okay, what about desert?"

"I go for anything chocolate," Noah grinned. "Mom usually likes healthier sweets. But once in a while she splurges on a piece of cheesecake."

"Perfect," John grinned. "I'll order out to TGI Fridays and have it delivered. Expect it to arrive shortly before Sharlotte gets off work, okay? It'll be paid for, all you'll have to do go to the door and get it. BUT..." He added, and made sure the boy was paying close attention. "Don't forget to look out the peephole and make sure that it _is_ someone delivering food."

Noah nodded, "I will. Thanks, John!" He latched onto his hero and hugged him around the waist.

"I'm happy to do it, bud," John replied, fighting the sting of tears. "You take care of your mom while I'm away, okay?"

Noah nodded again. "I promise." He fidgeted a moment and then made eye contact with John. "Can I ask you something, since mom's gone right now?"

"Of course," John replied, kneeling down to the boy's height. "What's on your mind?"

"I know I asked you before, but I felt like Mom being there kind of... I don't know, caused you to answer differently than if she wasn't there. Are you going to marry her?"

John smiled, a flash of his dimples appearing. "Yeah, bud. If she'll have me, I'm going to marry her."

"When?"

"Soon, hopefully. But I do need to give her some time. She's... really new to all of this. And I don't want to overwhelm her."

"When you guys _are_ married... Can I call you dad?"

A lump formed in John's throat, and he tugged the boy into his arms. "I'd love that."

 _I have no idea how we'll work this out, what with Julie being his biological mom_ , he thought. _But the fact of the matter is_ — _Noah is_ my _son too. And Julie hit him. I'll get custody of him. Sharlotte and I will raise him together_. John patted Noah's back and released him from the hug. "I'd better get going, okay?"

Noah nodded. "Yeah. We'll miss you."

"And I'll miss you guys. Badly." He kissed the top of his son's head and stood to his feet. "I'll see you soon. Lock up behind me." He turned and headed down the stairs with Noah following behind.

He stepped out the front door and turned to wave at Noah as he pulled the door shut. Once he heard the click of the locks, he headed to his car and got inside. Seconds later, he pulled out of the driveway and drove down the road.

Noah finally let his hidden tears fall freely.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

"Okay, you have to spill everything," Leena said, sitting across from Sharlotte at their usual spot in the little cafe. "You are absolutely glowing, and I have a sneaking suspicion of what probably happened at John's home."

Sharlotte flushed, and nodded slightly. "We made love," she confirmed in a whisper, a smile of true happiness lighting up her face. "It was... I just can't..." She shivered at the memories.

"That good, huh," Leena teased.

"Not just good," she replied, dreamily propping her chin up with her hand. "It was just... Amazing. Phenomenal. Extraordinary."

"I'm so happy for you, Sharlotte," Leena reached over and squeezed her hand. "You deserve it."

"Thank you," Sharlotte said softly. "I'm still in shock I think."

"Well get through the shock soon," Leena smiled. "You need to experience all of it fully."

"Trust me, I know. And I did last night," Sharlotte admitted. "I was not letting my shock blur anything between us. I wanted to remember last night always."

Leena nodded. "Good." Her eyes shifted to the newspaper lying at Sharlotte's elbow. "What's that?"

"I'm looking for a second job," Sharlotte explained, opening the paper to the job listings. "I'm determined that Noah will go to that private school, if it kills me. There wasn't many jobs to choose from though. The only thing I'd remotely be qualified for is a Hooters waitress." She glanced down at her chest and chuckled. "And while I'm not exactly small-chested, I'm not quite sure I'm "qualified" enough."

"Eh, nothing a push-up bra wouldn't take care of. Not every waitress at Hooters has a big rack," Leena encouraged. "I've heard the tips can be pretty amazing there."

"Seriously," Sharlotte asked, giving it some thought. "But do I have the nerve to do it? What if someone I knew saw me?"

"Honey, you're raising a child on your own," Leena said. "Trust me, you do what you gotta do. To hell with what anyone else thinks."

"You're right," Sharlotte sighed. "Noah comes first. Besides, it's not like I'm turning to something illegal to make money."

"Exactly."

"Okay, I'll go tomorrow morning before work and apply for a night shift."

"I'll of course watch Noah for you on nights you work. He could either stay over with us, or we could hang out at your place till you get home."

"Oh, Leena... Are you sure," Sharlotte asked. "I hate to ask that of you."

"You'd do the same for me," her friend replied. "So, of course I'm sure."

"Thank you so much," Sharlotte said softly. "You don't know what that means to me."

"Girl, you're practically a sister to me. Of course I'm going to help you!"

Sharlotte hugged her friend over the little table. "I love you so much!"

"Love you too," Leena smiled, returning the hug. "Now finish your lunch. Taking on a second job...you're going to need all the strength you can get!"

Chuckling, Sharlotte moved to eat another bite of her turkey salad when her phone chimed with an alert. Picking up the cellphone, she saw it was a tweet sent to her. She read the message and gasped at the creepy tweet sent from _AnonymousTweeter_.

 

" _@ _IceLove1981_ Enjoy screwing Cena last night_? _Enjoy him while you can_."

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte drove home after work feeling a bit vulnerable, and as though someone was watching her. She had received another tweet an hour after the first one—also from _AnonymousTweeter_. How imaginative," Sharlotte muttered at the loss of creativity in the screen name.

 

" _@ _IceLove1981_ Do you know how many women he's had_? _How long before he gets bored with you, little librarian?"_

 

"It's got to be Jasmine," she thought out loud. "She's just trying to scare me off." _Well, it's not going to work. I'm in love for the first time in my life, and I'm not giving up on it._ She stopped at a red light and heard her cellphone alert her once more. Refusing to read a text or message while she was driving, she made a mental note to check it when she got home. _It could be John_ , she thought hopefully.

A few minutes later, she pulled into her driveway and killed the engine. Then she tugged her phone out of her bag and checked her message. It was another tweet from _AnonymousTweeter_.

It linked to a photograph slideshow of John with all the women he'd been with in the past.

Jasmine Greenberg, a woman she didn't recognize, AJ Lee, Mickie James, Lisa Marie Varon, Tori Wilson, and then the video shifted to personal photos of John with women before he was even famous. And they went on and on.

"This is stupid," she cried out loud. "This is his past. This is..." Sighing, she tapped the screen a couple times, blocking _AnonymousTweeter._ "Take your ridiculous photos and shove them where the sun doesn't shine!" More dazed than she cared to admit, she got out of the car and headed for the porch.

Once she passed through the front door, all her worries fled.

A beautiful vase of more than a dozen apricot-pink roses sat displayed on the hall table. A new mirror had replaced the old one. She approached it, and ran her fingers over the lovely carved cherry wood of the cathedral mirror. "Antique," she whispered. "It's so beautiful."

"Do you like it?"

She turned to see Noah standing behind her with a hopeful look on his face.

"I love it," she exclaimed. "Did John do this?"

Noah nodded. "Yep, he delayed his flight so he could. He also got you the flowers, and I helped him clean up."

"Oh, you two," she cried, pulling him into a hug. "How sweet of you both. Thank you so much!"

"John also had dinner delivered so you wouldn't have to worry about anything tonight. It's TGI Fridays!"

Tears burned her eyes as she realized the trouble John had gone to for her. "I need to call him real quick and thank him, okay? Why don't you go to the kitchen and get us something to drink with our dinner?"

Smiling, Noah turned and headed for the kitchen as Sharlotte bounded up the stairs, tapping the screen on her phone as she went. She made her way into her bedroom as she pulled up John's contact screen. And then she noticed the perfectly clean room, and her made bed. Not to mention the rose and note laying on her pillow. Sighing dreamily, she sat on the edge of the bed and picked them up. She sniffed the rose, inhaling it's soft fragrance. Then she opened the note and read it.

 

_I wanted you to have no worries or cares tonight, so Noah and I cleaned up, and I ordered out to dinner for you. Hope you like it. I also wanted to leave you these apricot-pink roses. While they're beauty doesn't remotely compare to yours, they do remind me of you. The apricot is the color of your skin, and the pink is the color of your lips. I can't wait to taste them again._

_I love you,  
~J_

 

Her eyes burned even more now. She tapped her screen to place a call to John and listened as the phone rang a couple times before it was answered.

" _Sharlotte_?"

"I love you," she said in way of greeting. "You're just too amazing."

"I take it you received your surprise then." There was a smile in his voice. "And I love you too."

"Thank you, really," she told him. "You don't know what a blessing this was to come home to—all of it."

"Well, I'm glad you liked it," John said.

"I love it," she corrected him. "I've never met someone so thoughtful as you, John. You're a really beautiful person. You do something for someone because you know it'll help them, but you also find a way to make it a creative gift. I've never met anyone like you, and I'm so glad our paths crossed. You've made my life go from black and white, to color."

The line was silent for a couple of seconds. And then she heard his husky voice:

" _You make me want to fly right back to Florida, woman_."

"Well, I want that too, but we both know you have a job you need to do," she replied. "A job you _love_ to do."

" _Maybe one day I'll be able to have my cake and eat it too_ ," he replied, his voice taking on a wistful tone.

"What do you mean," she asked, afraid to assume where his cryptic statement was headed.

" _That's a discussion for another day, honey_. _Another day, and face to face_."

"Okay," Sharlotte said softly. "Well, I think I'll go eat dinner and let you get back to practicing. I love you."

" _I love you too, Sharlotte. Enjoy your dinner._ "

"I will. Talk to you soon."

" _Yes you will_ ," he replied, a smile in his voice again.

They disconnected the call, and she hurried downstairs to join Noah in the kitchen. He had arranged their food containers and poured them each a glass of iced tea.

"So what are we having," she asked, sitting down in her chair.

"I'm having a cheeseburger and fries and an Oreo Madness for desert. You are having grilled salmon with a rice thing and steamed spinach. Oh, and you're having the vanilla bean cheesecake for desert."

"Oh, yummy," Sharlotte exclaimed. "This looks so good, doesn't it?"

"Yep," Noah said, already preparing to chomp into his burger.

Before she could take the first succulent bite of her salmon, her phone alerted her to a message again. Groaning slightly, she picked the phone up and read the message.

From _AnonymousTweeter_2._

 

_"@ _IceLove1981_ Blocking me will only anger me. You don't want that, little librarian."_


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.

 

_**Chapter 27** _

 

 

Sharlotte sighed in exhaustion as she drove home from the library.

The past three weeks had gone by slowly. And that was saying something, since she now had a second job. She'd obtained an interview at Hooters and secured a part-time position as a waitress, working anywhere from three, to five nights a week. Thankfully, Leena was more than helpful—taking care of Noah when she had to work her night shifts. She and Tyler would either hang out at Sharlotte and Noah's home till she got off work, or Noah would hang out at Leena's house. On rare occasions, when Sharlotte was too drained to go pick him up, he'd sleep over at Leena's. The boys never seemed to mind in the least, and neither did Leena.

Sharlotte kept the truth about her job from both John and Noah. She didn't want Noah knowing where she worked, and she didn't want John to know she worked another job, period. He'd start asking too many questions that she had no idea how to answer.

In order to keep Noah clueless of the identity of her workplace, she always left for Hooters wearing regular clothes over the skimpy work uniform. She simply tugged them off when she reached the restaurant, and then put them back on before she left for home. So far, she was successful in keeping the young boy uninformed.

And luckily, John was staying so busy with his schedule they hadn't gotten to speak much with one another. She was frustrated by this, but she also knew it helped her to keep from telling a direct lie.

 _Besides, I may have bigger problems_ , she thought to herself as she turned onto the road which led to her house. She was staying thoroughly exhausted. The constant working hours were wreaking havoc on her health, she knew. _But there's nothing I can do about it_ , she thought. _I need these jobs. They're for Noah. I have to get him into that private school. It's the only option for his safety._

Her cellphone dinged with an alert and she rolled her eyes. "AT2 most likely," she sighed, using the nickname she'd developed for _AnonymousTweeter_ _ _2._ "Well, I'm afraid you'll just have to wait," she said sharply. "I'm simply too busy with my LIFE, to deal with you right now."

 _AnonymousTweeter_ _ _2_ had taken to tweeting cryptic and creepy messages to Sharlotte several times a day. In the beginning, he or she would sometimes tweet her as late as three in the morning. The messages seemed to have died down a bit though, and she hoped they'd soon get bored.

As she neared her home, she saw a huge, silver SUV parked in her circular driveway. She didn't recognize it, and it alarmed her because no one was inside it. And no one was sitting on the porch either.

 _They're in the house_ , she thought in horror, _with Noah_!

She sped into her driveway and slammed on the breaks, almost simultaneously killing the engine. Then she was climbing out of the car with her purse, and running for the porch. Quickly jamming the house key into the lock with shaking hands, she struggled to open the door. It finally opened and she stumbled into the hallway.

"No! Stop!" Noah's voice shrieked from upstairs.

"I'm gonna get you!" Came a deep male voice next.

"NOAH," Sharlotte screamed, and ran for the stairs. "I'm coming, Noah!"

She flew up the stairway and tore for his bedroom. Throwing his door open, she saw the boy sitting on his bed with a video game controller in his hands. Her gaze darted around the room to spot the intruder.

It took only a second for her eyes to fall on Antonio Cesaro sitting in Noah's desk chair, also with a game controller in his large hands.

Speechless, Sharlotte slumped against the door frame, and embarrassed herself profusely by bursting into tears. Her hands came up to cover her face as she sobbed.

"Mom," Noah cried, and darted over to her. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" He hugged her tightly. "Me and Cesaro were just playing WWE 2K13."

"No, I'm... I'm okay. You scared me so badly, Noah Taylor," she scolded, hugging him back. She wiped at her tears. "I heard you shout... And the car out in the drive way... I was terrified someone had gotten to you." Her gaze shifted to a bewildered Cesaro still sitting in the desk chair. "What are you doing here, Mr. Cesaro? You scared me to death." She released Noah and kissed the top of his head. "And you and I are going to have a discussion about letting strangers into our home while I'm gone."

"But Mom," Noah interjected. "It's Cesaro! He's friends with John. He wouldn't hurt me. I wouldn't have let him in if I hadn't recognized him."

"I said we'll talk about this later," Sharlotte said softly. "When my heart is no longer up in my throat."

Cesaro stood then. "I apologize for scaring you," he told her, his baritone voice seeming to boom within the confines of Noah's bedroom. "I didn't think about that. I just wanted to talk to you."

"There are phones for that. I'm sure John would've given you my phone number."

"I didn't really want him to know I talked to you. See, I..." His brown eyes glanced over at Noah. "Could we talk downstairs?"

She nodded slightly, realizing he was there to give her a warning to not hurt John. She pulled away from the door frame and instantly swayed on her feet.

"Oh, _shi-_ " Luckily, Cesaro remembered Noah was in the room and cut off his curse immediately. In the next instant, he was by Sharlotte's side and steadying her with his hands. "Are you okay? I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

She nodded. "Yes, I'm okay. Just... Shaken." She shook her head in hopes of adjusting her equilibrium and headed for the stairs.

"Here," Cesaro said, moving in front of her. "Let me go down ahead of you. If you pass out, I'd be able to catch you easier."

"I'm fine, really," she protested.

"Humor me."

She sighed as Cesaro moved to the stairs. She looked back at Noah and said softly, "You stay here. We are going to go talk."

At Noah's nod, she descended the stairs behind the tall wrestler and then led him into the kitchen. "Would you like something to drink, or anything," she asked.

"No, I'm fine. Thanks though," he replied sitting down at the kitchen table.

"So," Sharlotte said, sitting down across from him. "You're here to try and make me break up with John, right?"

Cesaro just stared at her, trying to get a read on her.

"You wanted to talk, didn't you," she prodded. "I have somewhere I need to be soon. So talk, please."

"Okay, I'll be as brief and blunt as possible," he started. "Jasmine really messed John up there for a while."

Sharlotte scoffed slightly. "I could see that on my own. Even before I met him."

"Yeah, but she really... She _really_ did a number on him. Like a freaky brain-washing kind of number. She knew he didn't want kids, but she did. So, she faked a pregnancy to snag a proposal from him. She thought she could get pregnant by him in time to pull the fake pregnancy off. Well, he proposed all right. But she never got pregnant and he found out the truth of what she'd done."

"He only recently broke off the engagement," Sharlotte thought out loud. She shifted her gaze to Cesaro's. "Why did he stay with her after he found out the truth?"

"I told you. She screwed with his head royally. He already has one divorce under his belt, and that chick was a drunken nobody who would've succeeded in running through his finances if he hadn't woke up in time. Jasmine came along shortly after. And well... I don't know. It's like he thinks he doesn't deserve any better than that."

"So, are you telling me this because you think I'd do the same thing to him," Sharlotte asked, feeling hurt. "You've not even given me a chance, Cesaro. I know to you I'm just some stupid fan girl, but..." She fought the burn of tears as she went on. "I'd _never_ do that to anyone. Let alone John. I _love_ him."

"I think I know that," Cesaro told her softly. "I started out really leery of you. You came along at what seemed like the perfect time. But... Aside from John missing work pretty often there for a while... He's happy. I've not seen him like this ever. He's enjoying his job even more now, and he doesn't look like he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders anymore." He managed a slight smile at her. "And I believe it's because of you."

Sharlotte swallowed hard and started to reply.

"He's away from Jasmine, and I'm thrilled," Cessaro went on. "I don't want him to get back the way he was with her. Just please, Sharlotte... Don't hurt him."

There was no malice or warning in his tone. He was just a man looking out for his close friend.

"I won't. I promise," she told him, staring him in the eye. "I'd rather hurt myself, than him."

Cesaro nodded slightly. "Okay. I just wanted you to know the actual story between John and Jasmine. And why I've been so concerned."

Sharlotte nodded her head, "I get it. And Cesaro... Thank you for caring about him so much. For looking out for him. You're a good friend to have."

He gave her a full smile and actually flushed. "He and I go way back. He'd look out for me too."

"Yes, he would," Sharlotte agreed. "That's the kind of man he is. And apparently the kind of man you are." She smiled. "I'm glad we got to talk."

"Me too," he replied. He stood to his feet then. "Well, I should get going, and let you get back to what you needed to do."

"Okay. Oh, but don't forget to go up and say goodbye to Noah. He'd never forgive me. Actually, if you'd send him down here, I'd like to talk to him now."

Cesaro chuckled. "Okay, will do. He's an amazing kid. John tells me you pretty much raised him yourself. You've done a great job."

Sharlotte blushed. "Thank you."

Cesaro turned and headed upstairs then and a couple minutes later, she heard Noah's chatter as he came downstairs.

"Tell John I said, hi! I hope we get to see you again soon, too, Cesaro!"

"Hopefully so, kiddo," the Swissman said, ruffling the boy's hair. "See ya later. Bye, Sharlotte."

"Bye Cesaro," she replied with a little wave. "Be safe."

He nodded and then headed out the door. The sound of his truck driving off was heard next.

Sharlotte shook her head and sighed. "What next?" Her attention turned to Noah then. "Okay, Noah. Let's have that talk," she said with an eyebrow raised in semi-amusement.

Noah sat down at the table then, and she remembered the alert her phone had sounded earlier. "Hang on just a sec, Noah," she said, pulling her phone from her purse. She opened the message and discovered her third tweet from AT2 for that day.

"@ _IceLover1981 Missing Cena_? _Maybe I'll stop by sometime and show you what a real man can do for you, little librarian_."


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.
> 
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Very graphic sex scene 18+ ONLY

 

_**Chapter 28** _

 

 

"James! Stop it!"

Sharlotte smacked the handsome—yet cocky—restaurant manager's hand as he once again "accidentally" brushed it over her backside.

"Sorry, doll," he smirked as they stood alone together in the kitchen. The restaurant had closed thirty minutes ago, and they were the only two closers. "I was actually reaching for one of these." His hand clasped over one of her breasts next and she shrieked.

"Are you freaking crazy," she demanded, grabbing his hand and prying it off her chest. "If you do that again, I swear I'll-"

"What," James taunted, his dark eyes flashing as he ran his hand through his blond hair. "It's your word against mine. We both know you're not going anywhere. You need this job too badly," he mocked her. "And..." he glanced around the kitchen area, in exaggerated surprise. "There doesn't seem to be any cameras around here."

"Just leave me alone," Sharlotte growled through clenched teeth. "I have a boyfriend, and there's no way I'd do anything to hurt him. Not that you'd stand a chance with me anyway," she said. "You're scum." With that, she turned around and headed for the dining area so she could finish cleaning tables.

Tears of frustration and anger burned her eyes as she moved a couple of high chairs back into their corral. The past few weeks had been horrible. James hit on her every chance he got, and sometimes forcefully. If she didn't need the job so badly, she'd definitely quit.

"He wasn't so bad in the beginning," she muttered to herself as she cleaned a table off with a wet cloth.

And it was true. In the beginning, James made it clear he found her attractive, but he didn't start to get physical with her until a couple weeks ago. _Just because he's a handsome frat boy, he thinks every female wants him_ , she complained in her mind. Her cell phone buzzed silently in her apron then and she pulled it out quickly to see what the notification was. She groaned inwardly as she saw a tweet had come in from AT2. "Like I really need this," she murmured, pulling the tweet up on her screen. Her breath caught in her throat as she read the message.

 

"@ _IceLover1981 I love how your ass looks in those Hooters shorts_. _Nice legs too. I can just imagine them wrapped around me_."

 

Her eyes narrowed as she re-read the message, her brain failing to compute the implications. Realization dawning suddenly, her gaze shot up to the building's huge windows just in time to see a dark SUV peel out of the empty parking lot. Her legs threatened to buckle as she realized that her Twitter stalker had become an _actual_ stalker.

"Oh, my God," she whispered, her voice shaking uncontrollably.

Another notification alerted her attention back to her phone.

AT2 had tweeted her again.

 

" _@IceLover1981 Oh, and you're not telling Cena about these tweets, are you? I'd hate for his rental's break line to get cut or something_... _DO answer my question_."

 

Sharlotte felt sick as she managed to type out "didnt tell" in a reply and sent the tweet. She rocked slightly from side to side as her fear escalated. Feeling her phone vibrate once again, she looked at the screen and pulled up the latest tweet.

 

" _@IceLover1981 That's my good little librarian. Maybe I should reward you_..."

 

Sharlotte felt bile threaten to fill her throat as she stood to her feet, trembling with anxiety.

Quickly, she wiped down the remaining tables and hurried to clock out. She ignored James' crude comments as she dialed Leena on her cell phone. She had made it a habit to have her best friend on the line with her as she walked to her car at night.

Tonight, she ran to her car.

" _Off work_ ," Leena asked in way of greeting as Sharlotte jogged to the employee lot.

"Y-yeah," Sharlotte replied. She reached her car and hurriedly unlocked the doors. "Would you mind if Noah stayed with you guys tonight?" She climbed behind the wheel and started the car as Leena replied.

" _Sure, no problem. But why_? _You sound like something's wrong_."

"I, uh... I just had a rough night at work. I-I just really need a night alone." Sharlotte fought the tears thickening her voice. She wanted more than anything to tell her friend the truth. All of it. James' physical sexual harassment, the stalker, how exhausted she'd been for the past month—every last bit of it. But she knew when it came to her well-being, Leena could not be trusted to keep it a secret from John. And if John found out about the stalker... _He could get hurt. Badly. At the very least he'd go caveman on me._ She also knew if she told Leena everything she'd want to stay with her tonight. And she couldn't endanger anyone else. That's why she wanted Noah to stay the night at Leena's. He'd be safe if her stalker did decide to stop by. She shuddered at the thought and then realized Leena had been speaking to her. "I'm sorry. What was that?"

" _I said, you sound like you're crying. Are you sure it was just a rough night_?"

"Y-yeah," Sharlotte stammered out. "I got griped out by a customer for a stupid mistake," she lied. "I'm just stressed out."

" _Okay, well, I'll drop Noah off at your house in the morning. Okay_?"

"Yeah."

" _Okay. Goodnight. Get some rest, hon_."

"I will. And thanks, Leena. I love you."

" _Not a problem. Love you, too_ ," came the reply, with a touch of suspicion.

The women hung up and Sharlotte drove home in a daze.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte finished combing out her wet hair after her shower and slipped into her robe. Her plan was to read for a little while to unwind, and then get some much needed sleep.

Of course, not everything goes according to plan.

She'd gotten herself settled into bed when she heard the doorbell ring. She gasped. Glancing over at the clock on her night-table, she grew more frightened when she saw the time.

 _Who'd be here at 2:20 in the morning_ , she wondered in dread.

Quietly, so as not to alert the potential intruder that she was home, she went down the stairs and inched her way to the front door; cell phone in hand. The doorbell rang again—twice this time, making her jump out of her skin. Reaching the door, she looked out the peep hole and, thanks to the porch light she'd left on, saw John standing on the other side of the door.

Gasping in happiness this time, she flung the door open and launched herself into his embrace, wrapping her legs around his waist. She instantly felt his erection through his jeans and nearly moaned in satisfaction as she felt her own arousal make itself known. Pressure instantly hit her in the pit of her stomach and spread all the way down to her core. It would have been painful had she not known that relief was on the way.

Their mouths crashed into each other's and immediately their tongues dueled for control of the frantic kiss. John stepped through the doorway and kicked the door shut behind him, his mouth never leaving Sharlotte's. He blindly fumbled with the lock in his hurry. Finally, he had the door secured and headed for the staircase, his mouth still tasting Sharlotte's mouth, her neck, her collar bone.

It took only seconds for him to climb the stairs and enter her bedroom. He quickly kicked her door shut. He sat down on the edge of her bed with her still wrapped around him, working at the tied knot in her robe's belt, while she whipped his t-shirt over his head then began working at his jeans.

Still fumbling with her belt, John began kicking his shoes off. He couldn't be bothered with clothing. He had only two objectives he cared about right then:

Get Sharlotte naked, and get inside her.

Growing frustrated, Sharlotte finally just tore at the robe and ripped the flimsy garment from her body, tossing it to the floor in tatters. He cocked his eyebrow, obviously very turned on at her desire to get them both naked in a hurry. They stood to their feet and she yanked his jeans and boxers down at the same time, and as soon as he'd stepped out of them along with his socks, she motioned with her head to the bed and said urgently, "I want to ride you."

"Well, damn..." John uttered with a Cheshire cat grin. His dimples appeared and Sharlotte could have sworn he was blushing as he moved up to the headboard and propped his back up against it. The sight of him waiting for her had the pressure building within her.

In the next instant, she was crawling to him on the bed and straddling his lap. She felt his hands reach up and cup her breasts as she slowly lowered herself onto his erection. She cried out softly as he filled her inch by inch and gripped his broad shoulders. By the time she had him buried to the hilt inside her, her core exploded around him. Her walls clasped his erection repeatedly and rapidly as her orgasm claimed her. She was vaguely aware of John's throaty groan. Her head fell back as her body sought every bit of relief he could give her. But it wasn't enough. The pressure began building again, immediately. She groaned in frustration at the persistent need burning inside her.

"Did you just..." John started in amazement. "But I... _Fuck_. You didn't even move yet, baby." He felt himself grow harder as she lifted her head and looked into his eyes, starvation practically glowing in her gaze. He grinned. "Oh... This is gonna be fun..."

Sharlotte returned his smile and rolled her hips against his. Her breath hitched as John's hips thrusted ever so slightly when she came down onto his lap. He growled in his throat softly as she sped up the pace. She leaned forward and nipped his neck with her teeth and then soothed the love bite with her tongue.

A curse flew from John's mouth and he gripped her hips in his hands jamming her down harder onto his arousal. Her loud cry filled the room as her slender frame tensed against him. She felt him shift slightly and then his thumb was stroking and rubbing hard at her clit while she tensed even more.

"Come on," John growled quietly. "Come for me, Sharlotte." He unexpectedly swatted her bottom. "Fucking come!"

And that did it. The sting of the slap, combined with him being inside her and the strokes of his thumb, sent her soaring. Harsh spasms that verged on pain shot through her core and rippled up through her entire body. She cried out in pleasure and was vaguely aware of his deep voice speaking.

"Yeah, you like that, don't you?"

Another stinging slap to her bottom shoved her into another orgasm before the prior one had even finished. Gasping for air, she collapsed against him briefly, before he shifted his body. In the next instant, he was behind her.

"Hands and knees," he uttered.

Sharlotte complied dazedly. She wasn't sure where this wild side had come from—for both of them. They were behaving like a couple of animals in heat. But she couldn't bring herself to care. She still felt the love through their actions and that was all that mattered. They were just a little more spicy than last time. For some odd reason, the thought made her giggle.

"What're you giggling about, sweetheart," John asked, preparing to enter her from behind.

"Because I'm so unbelievably turned on," she answered with another giggle. "I can't believe how frantic we are."

She heard John chuckle as well. "I've not had you in nearly two months. I was dying."

"So was I-" Her words were cut off as he entered her swiftly. Her fingers curled into the pillows below her and a desperate moan tore from her mouth. "Oh, John, yes!" His erection pressed deeper into her at the new angle. The tip of him jabbed into g-spot and she sobbed for relief when her body begin to tighten again.

"That feel good?"

Before she could answer, John rammed his hips into her backside and then pushed his way into her a little more. Her arms gave out and her torso collapsed against the pillows.

"Oh yeah... You fucking love that, huh?" In the next instant, his hips were slamming relentlessly into her at a fast speed. His hand smacked across her bottom again and then her orgasm claimed her. Her hips tried to buck through the climax, but he wouldn't have it. He held her still as he pounded into her. "Tell me when you're about to come again," he managed to say through his thrusts.

"Another few seconds," she cried, and then bit into a pillow.

She was instantly flipped onto her back and then John drove into her without missing a beat.

"I have to see your face when you come," he said, panting from his exertion. "At least one time." He leaned down and kissed one of her breasts, tugging the hardened peak into his mouth and suckling it. Her soft cry was almost enough to send him over the edge.

Within a few thrusts, he felt his lower back tightening and new he'd not be able to hold on much longer. "Are you almost there, honey?"

She nodded, unable to speak coherently at that moment.

"Yeah, you are," he whispered. "I can feel you fluttering around me." He groaned. "I love that feeling. Like butterfly wings."

Her nails dug into the muscles of his bottom and pulled him in deeper. Immediately, her core gently clasped him. "I love you," she whispered shakily.

"And I love you," John replied, staring into her eyes.

And then they're orgasms ripped through them. Sharlotte felt her walls gripping his arousal tightly and mercilessly. The spasms grew sharper and then plateaued. She felt herself fading afterward. Her vision tunneled in on John, and then slowly began darkening. The last thing she remembered was his long groan of satisfaction as his seed spilled deep within her.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

"Sharlotte—baby? Shit! Sweetheart, come on. Wake up for me."

John's voice echoed through her mind as she slowly gained consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open gradually, and with an exhausted sigh she managed to focus on his face. He was holding her, cradled in his lap in the bed. "J-John?"

"Thank God," he uttered, his blue eyes losing some of the tension in them. "You really scared me, honey."

She reached up and touched his face. "I'm fine. Really."

"You passed out, baby," John scolded lightly. "Are you not feeling well?"

"I-I... I've been a little tired lately," she hedged around the question. "But, I'm okay, really. I must've just been a little shocked that you showed up." She knew she needed to get his mind off her well-being so he wouldn't ask too many questions about why she was so tired. "Just think of the bragging rights you have," she teased, with a soft chuckle. "You can tell all your friends you made love to your girlfriend till she fainted from the pleasure."

His lips quirked upward a bit. "Not funny. At all."

"It was too," Sharlotte laughed softly. "You almost smiled."

"Let's get some rest," he suggested, settling her against the pillows. "I'll fix you breakfast in the morning."

"When do you have to leave," she asked, relaxing against his muscled chest.

"Tomorrow afternoon, unfortunately. But I just had to see you."

"I'm glad you came," she replied, reaching up and kissing his mouth. "I really needed to see you too."

"We'll figure this thing out," John told her. "Somehow, I'll fix it so our relationship doesn't have to be so hectic and unpredictable."

Sharlotte nodded. "I'm not worried, John. I love you, and I'm not going to give up on you."

"I love you too, and same here, sweetheart." He kissed the top of her head. "Now try to get some sleep."

 


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with WWE. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination. This story contains various scenes that are for people 18 years of age and older ONLY.
> 
> Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Unwanted sexual advances 18+ (To be on the safe side.)

 

_**Chapter 29** _

 

 

"Be good for Leena tonight, okay, kiddo," Sharlotte said, ruffling Noah's hair. She was in the middle of dropping him off at her best friend's house so she could get to work for her closing shift at Hooters.

"I will, Mom," Noah replied, as Sharlotte rang the doorbell.

"Come in," Leena's voice could be heard calling out after the loud chime.

Sharlotte opened the door and entered with Noah. She found her friend in the living room tidying up some magazines on the coffee table. "Are you crazy," she asked. "You should never just tell someone to come in. That's dangerous!"

"I don't normally, I promise," Leena assured her. "I just knew it was about time for you to get here with Noah, is all."

Sharlotte nodded, still a little unnerved. "Okay. Sorry, I just... That scared me a little. I worry about stuff so easily lately." She moved to sit down on the sofa and swayed slightly as she lowered herself.

"Are you okay," Leena asked immediately sitting down beside her. She looked over at Tyler and Noah. "Boys, go upstairs and play, or watch TV or something, okay? I want to talk to Sharlotte in private."

The boys headed for the stairs but Noah seemed to hesitate, giving Sharlotte a worried glance. Tyler tugged on his arm. "Come on, Noah. Did you bring WWE 2K13 over?" The two boys could be heard chattering as they hurried up the staircase.

"Are you okay, hon," Leena asked, turning to her friend when she was sure the boys were in Tyler's room. "You look so tired and...frail," she finished. "Is everything all right?"

Swallowing hard, Sharlotte nodded. "Yeah. Noah's doing so much better. So..."

"That's not what I asked," Leena said softly. "I asked if _you're_ okay."

Sharlotte tugged her lip between her teeth. And then nodded.

"Sharly... I know you better than that. What is going on? You can tell me."

The urge to spill her guts hit her hard—the need to let someone at least know some of the worries in her life. She started to speak, but faltered as a lump formed in her throat. She swallowed and tried again. "I _am_ tired, Leena. So tired." A tear fought it's way from her eye and spilled down her cheek. "Hooters...it's... Ugh, it's horrible. But between waitressing and my job at the library, the pay's great, so I can't quit. And someone's stalking me—threatening me. And threatening John. I-"

"Whoa," Leena said softly, reaching over and squeezing her hand. "Let's take this slower or it's not going to help. What's horrible about the Hooter's job besides the fact it's obviously wearing you out?"

"James—the manager—he's... He's hitting on me. Very forcefully. I can't get him to stop."

"What about filing a sexual harassment claim with the corporate office?"

Sharlotte shook her head. "There's no camera's in the building. It's my word against his. He doesn't do anything till we're closed and everyone else is gone. I have no proof. I have a feeling he's done this many times. And clearly, he's gotten away with it."

Leena puffed out a sigh. "Okay... We'll come back to that. Tell me about the stalker."

"They started on Twitter. I thought maybe John had an obsessed fan who was angry at me. They taunted me about how many women he's had. They knew about Noah and I visiting his home because the first tweet they sent me was the day after, and asked if I'd enjoyed screwing him."

"It's got to be Jasmine Greenberg," Leena said, a touch of anger in her voice. "She's just trying to-"

Sharlotte shook her head. "I thought so too, but it's not her."

"How do you know? This is the exact kind of thing she would do."

She shook her head again. "No. It's a man. He's... He's made that very clear."

Leena's forehead creased with apprehension. "What do you mean? Sharlotte, what's he saying to you?"

A sob broke from her lips as she repeated some of the vile tweets. "He's said that John will get bored with me—that was about the mildest of all his messages. I tried blocking him but he just made a new account and then threatened me—saying that I don't want to anger him. The tweets got worse after that. He told me he might stop by my house sometime and show me what a 'real' man can do for me. Then a few nights ago—the last time John spent the night, he tweeted me while I was closing at the restaurant. He said he loved how my "ass" looked in the Hooters shorts. And he could imagine my legs-" She paused a moment, fighting off a panic attack. "It sounds even worse saying this stuff out loud. He could imagine my legs wrapped around him. I glanced up—at the windows. Because I knew he was somehow watching me. I saw a black SUV speeding from the parking lot. Then he tweeted me again, and made me answer him when..." She sighed, a mixture of frustration and exhaustion. "He asked me if I was telling John about the tweets. And implied if I was, that he'd do something to John—like cut his break line or something. He calls me his 'little librarian'." She broke down then, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed. A few seconds later, she felt a shift in the sofa and then Leena's arms went around her in a comforting hug.

"Sharly... Everything will be okay. But you have to quit that job. You need some rest. And you have to tell John about-"

"I didn't tell you all this just so you'd tell me to do exactly what I know I _can't_ do," Sharlotte snapped. "I just needed someone to know—to offer some support. I can't quit the job because Noah _has_ to get into that private school! And I can't tell John. Not telling him is the only thing keeping him safe!"

"Sharlotte-"

"I have to get to work," she cut Leena off. "I'll pick Noah up when I get off."

She rose from the sofa, a little unsteady on her feet and left without so much as a goodbye to her close friend.

Deep in thought, Leena remained on the sofa. Fidgeting, and battling an internal struggle, she finally picked up her cell phone and scrolled through her contacts. Tapping the Dial icon, she waited for an answer.

" _Hello_?"

"Hey, it's Leena. Listen... There's something you really need to know..."

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

"What the fuck was she thinking?"

John growled his thoughts out loud as he sped through the streets of Tallahassee. He shifted gears on his rental and continued on his way to Hooters.

 _Did she think I couldn't take care of_ any _of this shit for her_ , he thought angrily. _I'm her boyfriend. It's my job to protect her. But how can I, when I don't even know something's wrong_? _She told me nothing about any of it_!

Frustrated and angry, he reflected on the conversation he had with Leena hours earlier.

 

" _I know I'm jeopardizing my friendship with her by telling you this, but her safety has to come first—and you have the right to know_."

" _What is it, Leena_ ," _John asked. "Is she okay?"_

_"No, she isn't. She has taken on a second job—at Hooters. Waitressing. It's exhausting her. She's making herself sick. And a guy she works with is... well, he's harassing her. And she can't prove it."_

_"Sonofabitch!"_

_"Yeah. And, John? There's more. Someone's stalking her. He started out tweeting her. But now... She said he's starting to show up at her job, and threatening to come see her at her home. He's even nicknamed her his 'little librarian'."_

_"Fuck! Why the hell didn't she tell me," he demanded._

_"Because the stalker's threatening you as well, and she's trying to protect you."_

_"Damn it!_ I'm _supposed to protect_ her _! Not the other way around."_

_"Please, don't be too hard on her, John. She's had to cope with this for weeks. Alone. She didn't' know what to do. She looks like she's about to crack under all the pressure."_

 

His phone rang then, jarring him from his thoughts. Cursing under his breath, he answered the call, putting it on speaker without even having to look at the screen. "Yeah?"

" _Hey, it's Cesaro_. _Just making sure everything's okay. You left the show in a hurry and you seemed angry. Where are you_?"

"No, everything isn't okay, Cesaro," John bit out. "I found out my girlfriend has been keeping a bunch of secrets from me. I'm currently in Tallahassee—almost at Hooters—where she works a damned second job I just found out about!"

There was a brief silence, followed by Cesaro's very inadequate: " _Oh, shit_."

"Precisely," John agreed. "Not to mention, her boss is harassing her, and she has a stalker who's terrorizing her."

" _Anything I can do to help_?"

"Not at the moment," John replied, pulling into the Hooters parking lot. "But I may need you to bail me out of jail when I get through with her boss _and_ when I find out who's scaring the hell out of her."

" _I don't blame you. Seriously though, if you need anything_ — _just ask, brother_."

"Thanks, man," John replied, as he stopped his car right in front of the building. He didn't bother to park in a space. "Listen, I've got to go. I'm here at Hooters, and-" He glanced up at the huge windows then. He watched as a man sneaked up behind Sharlotte while she was bent over, cleaning a table, and swatted his hand down on her butt. Then he proceeded to drag her to the kitchen area.

His vision went red. "Oh, fuck." He threw his car door open.

" _John_? _Talk to me, man_."

"Can't right now, Cesaro. This prick may not live. He just smacked Sharlotte's ass, and now he's manhandling her."

" _Shit_! _John_ -"

John ignored his friend and went storming up to the entrance, instantly yanking on the door.

Locked.

Determination etching his features, he spun around and ran for the back of the building. He could see the back door standing open, and Sharlotte's cries of anger began to reach him.

 

}i{}i{}i{}i{}i{}i{

 

Sharlotte wiped at one of the dirtier tables in the dining area, trying to get the residue of food off the surface. She was eager to get her work done and leave. James had acted particularly strange that day, and she highly suspected he may have been drunk or high on something. She wanted nothing more than to get away from him.

"Honestly, do parents have to just let their children tear the place apart," she wondered out loud.

 _SMACK_!

She felt the sharp pain of a slap on her butt. She cried out from the shock of it and spun around to find James leering at her.

He lunged forward and latched onto her wrist.

"Let go," she yelled at him, trying to pry his hand from her wrist.

"I'm so tired of the taunting, Sharlotte," he growled, flinging her none too gently up against the wall and pinning her in place with his hips, while one of his hands restrained her wrists above her head. "You bend over in those shorts, and you know fuckin' well what it does to me, you little whore." He leaned forward and nipped at her neck.

"Let go of me," she screamed. "I wouldn't wear these stupid shorts if I didn't have to. Its part of the work uniform, you idiot!" She yanked on her wrists, struggling to free herself. "I said, let me go! I don't want this—or you!"

"Quit being such a cock tease, you little bitch!"

" _LET GO OF ME_!"

Sharlotte slammed her knee up into James's groin and watched as he sank to his knees in front of her, almost sobbing in his pain.

Suddenly, John was rushing into the kitchen from the back door and she gasped in shock.

 _How did he know,_ she wondered. _How_ - _Am I hallucinating_?

She watched as John grabbed James by the collar, hauling him to his feet. "That's the woman I love, you piece of shit. Touch her again and I'll fucking kill you." Then he punched him in the stomach as hard as he could.

"You'd really kill someone over that piece of ass," James wheezed out.

John yanked him so close their noses were mere inches apart. "The last man who laid a hand on her is dead, pal. Don't try me." He tossed the smaller man aside then and shot a scathing look over at Sharlotte—who was watching him with wide eyes. "Where's your things," he asked. "I'm getting you out of here."

Easily able to detect his anger, she picked her handbag up from the counter behind her, as well as the clothes she wore to hide her work uniform. "John, I'm sorry- But you don't understand- OH! Put me down!" She kicked her legs as he slung her over his broad shoulder and carried her out the back door. "JOHN CENA! You put me down! RIGHT NOW!" He ignored her and proceeded to carry her toward his vehicle. The blood rush to her head was beginning to wreak havoc. Her vision blurred and her stomach threatened to empty. "Seriously, John. _Please_. This is making me dizzy. Gonna be sick..."

He finally set her down without a word, and trapped her body against his rental with his own frame. "Why did you lie to me," he finally spoke. "Why the second job? Leena didn't give all the details. She didn't have time because I got in my car and drove like a bat out of hell to get to you. And what is this about a stalker?"

Sharlotte flushed, and managed to open her mouth to speak. But that was as far as she got. Bile rose in her throat and her legs turned to rubber. She shoved John out of the way as she crumpled toward the pavement, and succumbed to a series of heaves and abdominal spasms as she vomited what little food she had left in her stomach. She was vaguely aware of John supporting her weight and holding her hair back while she was sick. Even through his obvious anger, he rubbed his hand tenderly over her back in soothing circles. When the heaves subsided, his hands left her briefly. Glancing up at him, she saw him retrieving a spare t-shirt from the back of his car and wetting it down with a bottle of water.

"Here," he said gently, handing her the shirt. "Use this to wipe your mouth. You can rinse your mouth with the rest of the water."

She took the wet shirt and wiped over her lips with it. Then she took a sip of water, swishing it in her mouth before spitting it out on the pavement. "Do you... Do you happen to have any mint gum," she asked. "It would help settle my stomach." A white square of gum was handed to her instantly. "Thank you," she said softly, popping the gum into her mouth and chewing vigorously.

"Let's get in the car and go somewhere to talk, okay," John suggested, his voice low and soft. "You'd be more comfortable."

She nodded, and allowed him to help her to her feet. Then he opened the passenger door and lifted her into the seat. Moments later, he was sitting beside her, and driving down the street.

"Where are we going," Sharlotte asked, glancing over at him. His silence was very unnerving.

"Your house. We can talk privately and comfortably that way."

"I really need you to say something, John," she said after a few more minutes of neither of them speaking. "I can't handle your silence."

"Look, we're almost to your house," he told her. "I'm pretty sure we're going to have our first argument, and I don't want us to get into an accident while we do, okay? Just hang on a minute."

She sighed, but realized he was right. They didn't need to get themselves killed while arguing. _What if he breaks up with me_ , she thought, fidgeting. _I'm in love with him. I don't want to lose him._

He pulled into her driveway then. "Just because we have a fight doesn't mean we're breaking up," he said softly as he killed the car.

Sharlotte shot a glance over at him, amazed how he could read her so well.

He turned to face her. "Couples argue, Sharlotte. It's normal. I know you're new to relationships but you need to know right now...I'm _not_ breaking up with you. When I told you I loved you, I didn't mean I loved you till we have our first fight. You're it for me." With that, he got out of the car without giving her a chance to reply. He came around the car to her side and helped her out of the seat. "Let's get you inside, and comfortable and we'll talk."

The next few minutes went by quickly as John settled her on the sofa and got her a cup of tea to help with her stomach. Then he sat down on the sofa beside her.

"Okay, let's start over. You need to tell me everything. Since I have taken care of the boss problem, let's start with the stalker. Do you know who it is?"

Sharlotte had wanted him to speak, but now it was her turn, and she didn't like it too much. She shook her head. "No. He went by _AnonymousTweeter_ till I blocked him. Then he came back with a new account— _AnonymousTweeter_ _ _2_. I call him AT2—it's quicker and easier to say..." She knew she was rambling. But she couldn't help it. She didn't want to go into the horrible details. But, judging by John's exasperated sigh, and the way he was impatiently drumming his fingers on his leg, she knew she would have to.

"How do you know it's a 'he'," John asked.

"Because... B-because of the things he says."

"Sharlotte, please stop stalling, sweetheart. What does he say to you?"

"John, I... I can't. I can't tell you. He will-"

He stood to his feet. "Why the fuck not?" He rubbed the back of his neck as he paced back and forth in front of her. "Do you think I can't take care of this? Do you think I'm not enough to protect you?"

Sharlotte gaped at him. "God, no, John. That's not it at all. It's just..."

"Tell. Me."

"John, I know you're strong. And I know you can fight. I've seen you. But... This is different. This guy is threatening you with stuff like cutting your break line!" The hysteria she'd struggled to hide over the past couple months bubbled to the surface. "I don't know who he is! So, how can you protect yourself, or me, when you don't even know who to look out for?" Her emotions took over and she let the tears she'd been fighting for the past hour, fall at last.

John sat beside her on the sofa and picked her cell phone up off the coffee table, tapping the screen.

"What are you doing," Sharlotte wiped at her cheeks and reached for her phone.

"All you're doing is telling me that he's threatening me," he replied, holding the phone up out of her reach. "I want to know what the bastard is saying to have you so terrified."

"Don't," she cried, lunging for the phone. "You don't need to see-"

"Okay, so I've been with a few women," he declared, scrolling through the tweets. "That's not going to scare you. What else..."

John shot to his feet again when he found the more sinister messages. "God, Sharlotte! Why the HELL didn't you tell me about this? He's fucking _watching_ you! He's threatening to..." He couldn't finish the thought. It was too horrendous.

Sharlotte trembled at his words. Hearing John say it out loud... Having to acknowledge the truth... It was frightening. "I... I want you to be safe," she finally whispered. "I knew I couldn't handle you getting hurt—or worse, because of me. So I tried to deal with it for myself."

Leena's request came back to bite John strait in the ass.

_Please, don't be too hard on her, John. She's had to cope with this for weeks. Alone..._

He puffed out a sigh and sat down beside her again. "Okay. I'm sorry. We'll discuss this more later. Now, why did you keep your waitress job a secret from me?"

Sharlotte sighed. "Well, obviously I knew you wouldn't like the job choice. But it was the only job listed in the ads that I was qualified enough for. And the pay along with my library job is great. I get awesome tips and I need the extra money to save—for Noah. He _is_ going to that private school," she said, determination crossing her face.

"So why isn't your sister helping you? She's his biological mother, after all."

Sharlotte paled slightly. "She... She, uh... She left us. She left me to raise Noah. That's why he calls me mom. He's now _my_ son."

John swallowed hard. _Jesus. She's had so much to deal with._ _He tugged her into his arms and kissed the top of her head when she pressed her face into his chest._ _"_ _I am so sorry,_ Sharlotte. I wish you'd told me all this. I could've helped lighten the load for you. I'd be happy to pay-"

"See? That's partly why I kept it a secret," she said softly, pulling back a little to look up at his face. "I knew you'd offer to take care of the schooling. And I can't let you do that. Noah is _my_ responsibility. Not yours. And you have no right to dictate how I take care of him."

 _Well, hell_ , John thought in realization. _She's not the only one keeping secrets. I have to tell her about Noah. Tonight._ He dropped his head, partly from shame; partly from dread. "Look, Sharlotte. I need to tell you something. I didn't want to have to blurt it out like this, but-"

His words were cut off as Sharlotte's phone rang.

She grabbed it from him, somewhat relieved that whatever he was about to confess was put on hold. _I can't handle much more_ , she thought. _Not tonight._ She looked at the screen and saw it was Leena. New found anger at her friend made her head pound. _She's the reason this is happening right now._ She took the call anyway. "Hello," she answered the phone, a slight coolness in her tone.

“ _Sharlotte_ ,” Leena cried. “ _You need to get over to Capital Medical Regional Center_! _I don't have all the details_ — _the hospital just notified me, but_ , _Noah_... _He's been hurt_!”

 

 

 


End file.
